Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1918-01-11
No AnnexatiOns, Equal Trade
Conditions, Freedom of
World and Unveiled
Treaties.
MUST PROTECT RUSSIA
Declares That Palestine, Poland, Al
SAGE, Italy lrFedenta and Balkans
Must Be Liberated.-That Colonies
Shall Choose Own Allegiance.

unquestiOnable, President Wilson stip-
ulated before a joint session OF con-
gress on January the aims for which
America is now fighting This country,
the president declared, will continue
the struggle until these are achieved.
1t was the compelling voice of the
russian people," asking definition OK
Nmerica's principles and purposes
that prompted the president TO speak.
And II was largely to Russia that his
speech was directed.
The presidents address follows:
Gentlemen OF the congress: Once
more, as repeatedly before, the spolSes-
men Of the central empires have indi-
Gated their desire to discuss the OH
jeets of the war and the possible basis
Of general peace. Fnrleys 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 IA general confer
ence with regard to terms OF peace
and settlement.
The Russian Representatives pre-
scented not only perfectly definite
statement of The principles upon which
they would be willing to conclude
peace, hut 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 Df liberal Interpretation
until their specific program of practical
terms was added.
Germans Would Strip Russia.
THAT program proposed no conccs.
sions at all, either to the sovereignty
of Russia or to the preferences of the
populations with those whose fortunes
it dealt, but meant, i'm word, that the
central empires were to keep every foot
of territory their armed forces had oc-
cupied-every province. every city. ev-
cry point of vantage-as "a permanent
addition to their territories and their
power.
1T Is a reasonable conjecture thai
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 their
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 what
they have got. The negotiations have
been broken Off The Russian repre-
sentatives were sincere and In earnest
They cannot entertain such proposals
of conquest and domination.
THE whole incident Is fun of sIgnifl-
casce. 1t Il also fun of perplexity.
With whom are the Russian repre-
sentatiyes dealing? For whom are the
Representatives OF the central empires
speaking? Are they speaking for the
majorities df their respective parlia-
ments or fol the minority parties. that
military and imperialistic minority
which has so far dominated their
whole policy and controlled the affairs
of Turkey and of the Balkan states
which have felt obliged to become their
associates III this WARP
On GermanHss Answer Hinges Peace.
THE Russian representatives have
insisted, very justly, very wisely and
in the true spirit Of modern democracy
that the conferences they have been
holding with the Teutonlc and Turkish
statesmen should be held within open
been audience, as was desired.
s'To whom have we been listening
then? To those who speak the spirit
and intention of the resolutions of the
German reichstag Of the 9th of July
| last, the spirit and intention of the
| liberal leaders and parties Of Germany,
or those who resist and defy that
spirit and intention and insist upon
conquest and subjugatlon? Or are We
| listening. in fact. to both, unreconciled
! and In open and hopeless cOnfradIc-
ton - These are very serious aud preg.
! nant questions. Upon the answer to
them depends the peace OF the world
"But whatever the result Of the par
| legs at BFest-LitOvsk. whatever the
conclusions of counsel and purpose IN
the utteranees OF the spolxesmen Of the.
central empires, they have again at.
tempted to acquaint the world with
their objects I'm the war and have again
challenged their adversaries to say
what sort Of settlement they would
deem just and satisfactory. There Is
no good reason why that challenge
should not be responded 10. and re
sponded TO with the utmost candor. We
did not await for IL Not once, bat
again and again. We have laid our
whole thou ght and purpose before the
world noe IN general terms only, hua
each time 1sith sufficient definition 4,
make 1t clear what sort Of deaRItiv..
terms and settlement must neeessar-
iIy spring put Of tlem-
within the last week Mr.. Lloyd