The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1918-02-15
PRESIDENT WILSON ANSWERS
Won HERTLING AND CZERNIN

President woodrow wilson at
1920 Monday addressed the Con-
gress of the United States on the
attitude of the United states to the
recent speeches made by German
Chancellor Won Hertling and the
Austrian Foreign Minister, Count
Czernin.
The Presidents decision to ad-
dress Congress on the subject fol-
lowed several days of conferences
with Colonel House, his personal
representative to the allied confer
ences abroad. AS has lately be
come his custom he gave very short
notice of his plans, in fact only just
time enough for Congress leaders
to arrange a joint session.
Following the custom inaugural
ed with other addresses of its kin.i
President Wilson's words were
cabled by the government to all the
principal cities OF the world. In
this way it was hoped to get the
answer to Won Hertling and Ger
min to the ears of the people, OF
Germany, Austria and Russia.
Members of Congress accepted the
address not as peace message, bu,
as notice to the Central Powers that
the United States cannot be turned
aside from the object for which 1T IL
fighting, and a warning to Congress
and the American people that the
task of sending the nations night
ing men to the front must not be
interfered with by equivocal and
misleading utterances of Teutonit
statesmen.
President Wilson addressed Con
gress Monday as follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress:
ION the 8th of January / had
the honor of addressing you on th'
objects of the war as our people
conceive them. The Prime Minis
ter of Great Britain had spoken il
similar terms on the 5th Of Janu
airy. To these addresses the Ger
man Chancellor replied on tn
9th and Count Czernin,. for Aus
tria, on the same day. 1t is graft
fying to have our desire so prompt
iy realized that all exchanges o
view on this great matter should b
made in the hearing of all til
world.
Count Czernin's reply, which |
directed chiefly to my own addres
on the 8th of January, is uttere
in a very friendly tone.
HE finds in my statement suffi
GENTLY encouraging approach Z
the views of his own Government
to Justify him in believing that
furnishes a basis for a more detail
ed discussion of purpose by the tw
Governments. He is represented
have intimated that the views b
was expressing had been cOmmun
Gated to me beforehand and that
was aware of them at the time b
was uttering them; but in this
was sure he was misunderstood.
81 had received no intimation
what he intended to say. Thel
was, of course, no reason why L
should communicate privately wit
me. / am quite content to be on
of his public audience.
Count Won Hertling's reply is.
must say, very vague and very col
fusing. 1t is full of equivoc'
phrases and leads it is not cles
where. But 1T is certainly In a vel
different tone from that OF Coul
Czernin, and apparently of an o.
posite purpose.
at confirms, / am sorry TO sa
rather than removes, the unfortul
ate impression made by what
had learned Of the conferences
Brest-Litovsk. His discussion al
acceptance of our general primo
ples lead him to no particular co
illusions. He refuses to apply the
to the substantive items wnl
must constitute the body OF al
fnal settlement.
He is jealous of information
Lotion and of international cou
sci. He accepts, he says, the pr
ziple of public diplomacy, but
appears to insist that it be confint
at any rate in this case, to gener'
tiles that = the several particul
questions of territory and SOW
eighty, the severaT questions up
whose settlement must depend I
: acceptance OF peace by the 20 sta