The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-09-16

haSis of which peace Shall DC OoHtStHuNN
and the future order OF Europe anu LAC
world built un. In this direction fro'l-
ueut Wilson, in his speeches Oh teptu-
ary la and July 4, OF this year. mas 4ot
1uulated principles which nave nos
counterrd contradiction on Loe Pal. %
HE allies md the far-reaching appnch-
+ia,, of which Is likely to meet with no
ohiecttou Oh the part Of the powers OF
+ho nuaarunle alliance also, pre-suPPos-
mo that this application Is general and
reconctlable with the vital interests OF
the states concerned.
.1t "a true it must be remem oereu
That an agreement on general PfnheAp4ss
"a snffctent, but that there remains INC
fnrther natter Of reaching m ACCORD
mon their interpretation and their ap-
nlication to individual concrete war AND
peace questions.
ITO IN unprcjudiced observer there
can be no doubt that in all the peA@S
emit states, without exception, tho oesi1
for a peace Of understanding mas oeen
enormously strengthened; that the con
victiou Is increasingly spreading tnas
the further continuance OF the nloooS
strucgle must transform Europe nto
ruins end = state Of exhaustion that WILL
mar its development for decades to come
and this without ~ guarantee OF
thereby bringing about that decision ny
arms which has been vainly sIriVen
after by both sides In four yeass nl4eo
with enormous sacrtfces, sufertngs and
| exeTtions.
nrn 1uhnt manner however, can tile
way be paved for al understanding aio'
n. understanding finally attalnedF IL
! there any seriouE prospect whatever OF
reachiug this aim by continuing the us-
cussion of the peace problem IN the way
hitherto followed7
I'VE have not tho courage to answer
tho latter question In the affirmative
Tho discussion from one public trioune
m another, as has hitherto taken place
between statesmen Of the various coun-
tries, was really only series OF mono
lorues, It lacked, above everything
airectness. Speech and counter-speech
did not fit into each other. The SPEAK
ers spoke over one another's heads.
"On the other hand was the pubnc1ty
and the ground of these discussions,
which robbed them of the possibility OF
fruitful progress. In all public state
me-rts OF this nature a form of eloquence
is used which reckons with the otect ~
great distances and oa the masses. Con-
sctously or uncoEsciouSly, however, ono
thereby increases the distance OF the op'
pouent's conception, produces rn1sunder-
standings which take root and are not
removed, and makes the frank exchange
of the IDEAS more difficult. Every pro-
uouncement Of leading statesmen Is
i directly after Its delivery and before
| the authoritative quarters OF the oppo'
site side can reply to It, made the sub
| ject Of passionate or exaggerated dis
! cusston of irresponsible elements.
But anxiety lest they should endan-
ger the interests Of their arms by un-
favorably influencing feeling At home
and lest they prematurcly betray their
own ultimate Intentions, also causes the
responsible statesmen themselves &c
strike n higher tone and stubbornly TO
; adhere to extreme standpoints.
IF, therefore, All attempt is made to
| see whether the basis exists for an IN
/ derstaa6ing calculated to deliver Europe
from the catastrophe of the suicidal con-
ttnuation Of the struggle, then N any
| case another method should be chosen
which renders possible a direct verbal
! discussion between the representatives
| Of the governments, and only between
them The opposing conceptions OF IN
dividual belligerent states would Like
wise have to form the subject of 5uch
discussion, for mutual enlightenment rs
well as the general principles that Snail
serve as the BASIS for peace and the
future relations of tho states to one
another, and regarding which, In tht
first place an accord cnp be sought VIII
! a prospect Of Success.
! mAs soon rs an agreement were
| reached on the fundamental principles
an attempt would have TO be made in tho
! course Of the discussion concretcly &c
apply them to individual peace queE.
tions and, thereby bring about then
solution.
I'VE venture to hope that there will
he no objection on the part Of any bcllig.
circuits to such an exchange of views
The war activities would experience nc
, interruption The discussions, too, wouia
| only go so far as was considered by the
participants to offer prospect OF sue
| cess. No disadvantages would arlst
; eherefrom for the states represented
Far from harmir", such an exchange OF
views could only be useful to the cause
Of peace.
! nWhat did not success the first TIME
can be repeated, and perhaps 1t has al
ready at least contributed to the clarl'
1cation of views. Mountains of old mis-
understandings might be removed AM
nany new things perceived, streams q
pept-up human kindness would be re
leased in the warmth of which every
thing essential would remain, and. OF
the other hand, much that is antagonis
tic, to which excessive importance 4.
still attrtbrted, would disappear.
"According to our conviction all th'
belltgerents jointly owe TO humanity
to examine whether now. after so many
years of = costly but undecided struggle
thu entire course of which points to IL
understanding, IT, is possible to make M
end to the terrible grapple.
Tho royal and imperial government
world like, therefore, to propose to the
governments Of all the belngerent state:
to send delegates to confidential an[
uuhirdinE discussion on the basic prln
ciples for the conclusion Of peace, III {
place in = neutral country and ut neal
, date that. would vet have to be agreed
upon-delegates who were to maxi
known to one another the conception o.
their governments regarding those prlh
ciples and 70 receive analogous comn!u
nicaticns, as we'll as to request and give
frank ard candid explanations On al
those points which need TO be precisely
I defined.
The roya! and imperial government
has the honcr to request the government
Of -. through the kind mediation OF
your cxccl1cncy, to bring this communi
CATION to the knowledge OF tho govern
ncnt of -
1.-THE names Of the intermediary gov
ernment and OF that addressed in the
particular note dispatched are lef'
blank.l