Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-12-20

Continued from Page One.)
against future wars, and anything
tending to dissension and friction
among races, any new menaces mean
ing more bloodshed must be elimi-
mated. His viewpoint is not really
what each Of us shall get, but what
each shall deny himself. Indemni-
ties can be extorted, it must be re-
membered, and the sentiment of So
cialists and BolSheviStS for no an
nexation and no indemnity is still
unchanged among the masses.
The Wilson idea is that the claims
and demands to be made upon Ger
many must be carefully estimated
on the basis of the actual damage
done, and a method should be deter
mined as to how she will get the
funds for payment and just repara-
ton He thinks it will be an I'M
mense bill and while he feels as
strongly as anybody the wrongs com
mitted by the central empires, he
believes that the method of righting
those wrongs should not partake OF
the nature of loot or new wrongs.
With respect to freedom of the seas,
President Wilson thinks along the
lines of Viscount Grey's recent state
ment.
The president has no inclination to
insist upon such a definition as
would impair the safety of any ma
ton since the whole object Of
league is to make every nation Sc
cure against aggression.
Free Discussion
President Wilson Is not expecting
to be met by the other belllgerentS
in the customary mood of European
statesmen. He himself is approach
ing the issues with the utmost frank
ness and cordiality, hoping by per-
sonal persuasion and entire openneSs
that he will be able to convince the
other statesmen that America is al
the parting of the ways where she
must make herself individually able
to resist aggression from any quar-
ter on land or sea by maintaining an
army and navy suitable to take care
of herself in any emergency or mere
ly to contribute her proportlonate
force to league of nations which
partnership by solemn treaty shall
be required to keep the peace every
where and thus enable civilized peo-
pies to go forward in intensive de-
velopment without perennial worry
about war.
1t must not be forgotten that
America was not a signatOry to the
pact of London in which the aSSocl-
ated nations pledged themselves not
to make a separate peace. America
is bound by no alliance, being merely
associated with the other entente
powers and retains it's strictly ira
ditional position of independence and
freedom of action, enabling 1t to
withdraw at any time from these
conferences or from the peace con-
gress itself, if the latter involves en-
trance into entangling alliances OIL
merely setting up of a new balance
of mower and not a world alliance
based on equal opportunity and JUS
tice for all nations, large or small.
Mr.. Wilson is so strong with the
European public mind that he could
easily carry his case to the peoples
but recent editorials in English and
French newspapers lead to the con
clusion that many of the apprehen'
sions of expected disagreement are
exaggerated and arise out of the eX'
treme position naturally adopted II
advance of the congress which will
be reconciled as both sides begin &c
determine an exact method for the
practical application of abstract prin'
ciples already accepted by all the
belligerents.