The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-01-18
No Annexations, Equal Trade
Conditions, Freedom of
World and Unveiled
Treaties.
MUST PROTECT RUSSIA
Declares That Palestine, Poland, Al
SAGE, Italy irredenta and Balkans
Must Be Liberated.-That Colonies
Shall Choose Own Allegiance.


America is now fighting. This country, 7
the struggle until these are achieved.
1t was the compelling voice of the
Russian people," asking definition OF
Americas principles and purposes"
that prompted the president to speak.
And it was largely to Russia that his
speech was directed.
The presidents address follows:
Gentlemen of the congress: Once
more, as repeatedly before, the spokes-
men of the central empires have indi-
Gated their desire to discuss the OBJ
jects of the war and the possible basis
of general peace. Parleys have been
in progress at Brest-Litovsk between
Russian representatives and represent
atives of central powers to which at
tention of all belligerents have been
invited for purpose of ascertaining
whether it may be possible to extend
these parleys into general confer
ence with regard to terms of peace
and settlement.
THE Russian representatives pre-
sented not only a perfectly definite
statement of the principles upon which
they would be willing to conclude
peace, but also an equally definite pro-
gram of the concrete application of
those principles. The representatives
of the central powers, on their part,
presented an outline of settlement
which, if much less definite, seemed
susceptible of liberal Interpretation
until their specific program of practical
terms was added.
Germans Would Strip Russia.
"That program proposed no conces-
sions at all, either to the sovereignty
of Russia or to the preferences of the
populations with those whose fortunes
it dealt, but meant, in a word, that the
central empires were to keep every foot
of territory their armed forces had oc-
cupied-every province, every city, ey-
cry point of vantage-as permanent
addition to their territories and their
power.
1T is a reasonable conjecture that
the general principles of settlement
which they at first suggested origi'
mated with the more liberal statesmen
of Germany and Austria, the men who
have begun to feel the force of theil
own peoples thought and purpose
while the concrete terms of actual set
Element came from the military leaders
who have no thought but to keep wha'
they have got. The negotiations hayt
cen broken off. The Russian repre-
sentatives were sincere and in earnest
They cannot entertain such proposals
of conquest and domination.
THE whole incident is full of signitl
canoe. 1t is also full of perplexity
With whom are the Russian repre-
sentatives dealing? For whom are tn
representatives of the central empire
speaking? Are they speaking for tn
maiorities of their respective parlia
ments or for the minority parties, ina
military and imperialistic minorlt
which has so far dominated thei
whole policy and controlled the affair
of Turkey and of the Balkan state
which have felt obliged to become thel
associates in this war?
on Germany's Answer Hinges Peace
1.-THE Russian representatives nav
insisted, very justly, very wisely an
in the true spirit of modern demoerac!
tbat the conferences they have bee
holding with the Teutonic and Turks
statesmen should be held within opel
not closed, doors, and all the world ha
been audience, as was desired.
"To whom have we been listening
then? To those who speak the splr
and intention of the resolutions OF I'll
German reichstag of the 9th OF Jul
last. the spirit and intention of I'll
liberal leaders and parties of German
or those who resist and DEFY thu
spirit and intention and insist upc
conauest and subiugation? Or are v
listening, in fact to both, unreconeilt
md in open and hopeless contradi
ton? These are very serious and pre-
nant questions. Upon the answer
them depends the peace of the worl
"But whatever the result of the pa
Ievs of Brest-Litovsk, whatever Il
conclusions of counsel and purpose
the utterances of the spokesman of Il
central empires, they have again g
tempted to acquaint the world wi
their objects in the war and have aga
challenged their adversaries to 81
what sort of settlement they wou
deem just and satisfactory. There
no good reason why that challen
should not be responded to, and !
sponded TO with the utmost candor. Y
did not await for it. Not once, b
again and again, we have laid o
whole thought and purpose before t
world, not in general terms only, b
each time with sufficient definition
make it clear what sort of definiti
terms and settlement must necess'
lily spring out of them.
-Within the last week Mr.. Lilo