Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-08
PRESIDENT LAYS
DOWN LAWS TO Gov
ERN PEACE WORLD

DOWN LAWS TO GOV
ERN PEACE WORLD
CONTINUED From Page One)
very clearly that unless justice be
done to others it will not be done to
us. The program Of the worlds peace,
therefore, is our program, and that
program, the only possible program,
as we see it, is this:
Open covenants of peace, openly
arrived at, after which there shall be
no private international, understand
ings of any kind but diplomacy shall
proceed always frankly and in the
public view.
Absolute freedom of navigation
upon the seas. outside territorial wa
tiers, alike in peace and in war, ex-
cept as the seas may be closed in
whole or in part by international &C
ton for the enforcement of interna-
tional covenants.
3-The removal, SO far as possible,
Of all economic barriers and the estab-
lishment of an equality OF trade condi-
tons among all the nations consenting
to the peace and associating them
selves for it's maintenance.
Adequate guarantees given and
taken that national ornaments will be
reduced to the lowest point consistent
with domestic safety.
ga free open-minded and abso-
lutely impartial adjustment of all CO.
lonial claims based upon a strict OBJ
seryance of the principle that in de-
termilning al lsuch questions of SOW
ereignty the interests of the popula-
lions concerned must have equal
weight with the equitable claims of
the government whose title is to be
determined.
Russia Must Be Free.
''6-The evacuation of all Russian
territory and such a settlement of all
questions affecting Russia as will Sc
cure the best and freest cooperation
o fthe other nations of the world in
obtaining for her an unhampered and
unembarrasseds opportunity for the in
dependent determination of her own
political development and national
policy and assure her of sincere
welcome into the society of free ma
tons under institutions of her own
choosing; and, more than a welcome,
assistance of every kind that she may
need and may herself desire. The
treatment accorded Russia by her sis
ter nations in the months to come will
be the acid test Of their good will. of
their comprehension of her needs as
distinguished from their own inter-
ests, and of their intelligent and I'M
selfish sympathy.
Asks Independent Belgium.
belgium, the world will agree,
must be evacuated and restored, with
out any attempt to limit the sovereign
ty which she enjoys in common with
all other free nations. No other sin
gle act will serve as this will serve to
restore confidence among the nations
in the laws which they have them
selves set and determined for the gov
eminent of their relations with one
another. Without this healing act the
whole structure and validity of inter-
national law is forever impaired.
"S-All French territory should be
freed and the invaded portions restor-
ed, and the wrong done to France by
Prussia in 1871 in the matter of AL
SAGE Lorraine, which has unsettled the
peace of the world for nearly fifty
years, should be righted in order that
peace may once more be made secure
in the interest of all.
- ga readjustment Of the frontiers
of Italy should be effected along clear
ly recognizable lines of nationality.
"10-The peoples of Austria-Hun-
gary, whose place among the nations
we wish to see safeguarded and as
sured, should be accorded the freest
opportunity of autonomous develop
ment.
Return Other Nations.
"11-Rumania. Serbia and Monte
negro should be evacuated; occupied
territories restored; Serbia accorded
free and secure access to the sea; and
the relations of the several Balkan
states to one another determinde by
friendly counsel along historically
established>lines Of allegiance and ma
tionality; and international guaran-
tees OF the political and economic in
dependence and territorial integrity OF
the several Balkan states should be
entered into.
12-The Turkish portions OF the
present Ottoman empire should be as
sured secure sovereignty, but the
other nationalities which are now
under Turkish rule should be assured
an undoubted security of life and an
absolutely unmolested opportunity of
autonomous development, and, the
Dardanelles should be permanently
opened as free passage to the ships
and commerce of all nations under in
ternational guarantees.
Poles to Have Own State.
"13-An independent Polish state
should be erected which should in
elude the territories inhabited by In
disputably Polish populations which
should be assured free and secure
access to the sea, and whose political
and economic independence and terri
torial integrity should be guaranteed
by international covenant.
IA general association OF ma
tionals must be formed under specific
covenants for the purpose Of aifording