Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-01-11

no confusion of counsel among the
adversaries of the central powers, no
uncertainty of principle, no vague
ness of detail. The only secrecy of
counsel the only lack of fearless
frankness, the only failure to make
definite statement of the objects of
the war lies with Germany and her
allies The issues of life and death
hang upon these definitions. No
statesman who has the least concep-
ton of his responsibility ought for
moment to permit himself to con-
tinue this tragical and appalling
outpouring of blood and treasure UNI
less he is sure beyond a peradven-
ture that the objects of the vital
sacrifice are part and parcel of the
very life of society and that the
principle for whom he speaks think
them right and imperative as he
does.
Voice Is Calling
There is. moreover, a voice call
ing for these definitions of princi-
pie and of purpose which is. ii
seem sto me, more thrilling and
more compelling than any of the
many voices with which the trou-
bled air of the world is filled. 1t
is the voice of the Russian people.
They are PROSTATE and all but help
less, it would seem, before the grim
power of Germany, which has hith-
erto known no relenting and pity.
Their power. apparently, is shat
tered And yet their soul is not
subservient- They will not yield
either principle or in action. Their
conception of what is right, Of
what it is humane and honorable
for them to accept, has been stated
with a farnkness, a Iargeness Of
view, a generosity of spirit and
universal human sympathy which
must challenge the admiration of
every friend of mankind; and they
have refused to compound their
ideals or desert others that they
themselves may be safe. They call
TO US to say what it is that we de-
sire, in what, if anything, our
purpose and our spirit differ from
theirs; and L believe that the peo-
pie of the United States would wish
me to respond, with utter SIM
plicity and frankness. Whether
their present leaders believe it or
not, ii is our heartfelt desire and
hope that some way may be opened
whereby we may be privileged to
assist the people of Russia to their
utmost hope Of liberty and ordered
peace
Day of Conquest Gone
1T will be our wish and purpose
that the processes of peace. when
they are begun, shall be absolutely
open and that they shall involve
and permit henceforth no secret
understandings of any kind. The
day of conquest and aggrand1ze-
ment is gone by; so is also the day
of secret covenants entered into in
the interest of particular govern
ments and likely at some unlocked
for moment to upset the peace OF
the world. 1t is this happy fact
now clear to the view Of every pub
lie man whose thoughts do not still
!inger i'm an age that is dead and
gone. which makes it possible for
eevry nation whose purposes are
consistent with justice and the
peace of the world to avow now or
at anv other time the objects it has
in view.
We entered this war because vio-
lations of right had occurred which
touched us to the quick and made the
life of our own people Impossible uh-
less they were corrected and the
world secured once for all against
their recurrence What we demand
IN this war, therefore, is nothing
peculiar to ourselves. 1t is that the
world be made fit and safe to live IN
and particularly that it be made saIe
for every peace-loving nation which,
like our own, wishes to live It's own
life. determine it's own institutions,
he assured of Justice and fair deal
I, nf
as against force and selfish ag-
erosion. All the peoples of the
world are in effect partners in this
interest and for our own part we see
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; ana
that program, the only possible pro-
gram, as we see it, is:
Fourteen Conditions
Open covenants of peace, open
ly arrived at, after which there shall
be no private international under
standings of any kind but diplomacy
shall proceed always frankly and in
the public view.
absolute freedom of navigation
upon the seas, outside territorial
waters, alike in peace and in war,
except as the seas may be closed in
whole or in part by international ac-
ton for the enforcement of interna-
tional covenants.
3-The removal, so far as possible,
of all economic barriers and the es-
adjustment 'of an equality of trade
conditions among all the nations
conserving to the peace and associat-
ing themselves for it's maintenance.
adequate guarantees given and
taken that national ornaments will
y - :.