Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-12

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ing from the Breot Litovsk conference;
would not OF necessity DO regarded a:
binding upon America or tho entent,
allies.
''Wo cannot have general peace fol
tho asking, er by tho nero arrange.
meRts OF = peace conference" Mr., VIII.
son i'd. ut cannot DO pieced togethe,
out Of individual understandings be.
tween powerful states. All the parties
10 this war must toin in tho settlement
OF evory issue anywhere involved in
il. because what we are seeking is a
peace that we can ELL unite to guar
antce and maintain. and every item of
II must be submitted to tho comm on
Judgment whether IL be right and fair:
an act OF Justice rather than q bargain
between sovereisns.'
The statement was n,ade In high off,
cial quarters that the entente allies
were not consulted Ly President Will
son in tho preparation OF his address.
nor was IL even made known to them
that it was to be delivered. However.
IL was pointed out, this fact was not
10 be taken as Indicating any lack of
unity Of purpose and aims between the
cobelhs as nowhere in his ad-
dress did the President depart from
any Of the principles ne has laid down
in coInmcn with the British. French
and Italian frem!ers in their preceding
public ut,crances regarding war aims.
Diplomats OF the older school are
watching with keen interest extra
official negotiations" which depart so
radically from all OF the ancient and
accepted practices of diplomacy, They
poin; on; that peace negotiations on IA
great scale actually are going on, only
instead OF being conducted in the
secrecy OF the round-table conferences.
which was the aim Of tho central pow
ers in the carly stages of the war. tire
great war issues arc now being e1-
pounded and critically analysed in the
light ct publicity and tho worlds
forum.
President, Wilson himself TO day
seemed 10 recognize and call attention
10 TIA: fact when he inquired. rs
Ceun; vou liertline not aware that he
is speaking in tho court cf mankind:
that all the awakened nations OF tho
world now Sit in judgment on what
every public man OF whatever nation
may say on tho issues of tho conflict
which has spread to every region OF the
Torld?'
AS has been done in the past. tho
Presidents speech to-day was prompt
" cabled TO all the principal capitals of
the world for tclesra phic distribution.
VALUE OF EXCHANGING
VIEWS SHOWN BIT TEST
There was a test. the President said
which would show whether il was of
any avail To go on exchanging peace
~
ing the following principles:
]. Each part Of the nnal settlement
must be basod upon essential justice
to bring permanent peace.
:. Peoples and provinces are no. 10
be battered about like chattels TO cs-
tahish a balance of powers
3. Territorial settlements must be
for the benefit az people concerned and
not merely adjustment OF rival sta,es'
claims.
4. Well defined national aspirations
must be accorded all possible satisfac-
ton.
\ general peace upon such founda
lions can be discussed" said the Pres
ident, until such a peace can be &C.
cured we have no choice but 10 GO on
These general principles. tho Pres
ideHt said, have been accepted by every
one except the military autocrats in
Germany.
The President was interrupted by
applause at every reference Of tho
United States standing steadfastly
against patched-up peace. Probably
the greatest applause broke out when
the President declared that the mill
tarists of Germany were the only Gle.
ment now preventing world peace.
When he concluded. after speaking
twenty minutes. the entire audience
rose and cheercd.
Approval OF the address, was er-
pressed by many members of both
houses, who thought It opportune and
the essence o. permanent peace.
Senator Reed. Democrat, thought il
and Austria"
VERY OPPoRTUSE AND FINE
DECLARED SENATOR SWANSON
!. was very oppoytune. eloquent, and
line, and I :SeartilN approve Of i, in
all OF IFS phrases" said Senator
Swanson. Democrat
President Wilson spoke a. follows:
Gentlemen OF the Congress-:
On the $th OF January ] had the
honor OF addressing you on tho objects
The Prime Minister O! Great Britain
had spoScn in similar terms on tho
hth OF January. TO these addresses
the German Chancellor replied on IN.
"ith, and Count Czernin for Austria
ON the same day. IL Is gratifying 10
nave our desire 80 promptly realized
that all exchanges or view on This
great matter should be made in the
hearing OF al! the world
Coun. Ceernin's reply. which ia di-
recttd chiefly 10 my own address OF the
sfh or January, is uttered in a. very
friendly tons. He finds in my state
nent q sufficiently oncouraginc an
prosEh 10 the views Of his our, GOV
eminent 10 .nstifv him in bc!ievir :,
that 1t furnishes la sis for a more
detailed discussion Of purposes by the
Two governments. He Is represented
20 have inti!natrd that the views ne
was expressing had been coIpmunica ted
70 nee beforehand and that was
aware OF theia as the time he was Ut
ter4nr them; but In this J am sura he
was misunderstood. had receiycd no
inttmation OF what he intended to say
There was OF course no reason whv