Imperial Valley press., 1918-09-30

a real knowledge and comprehension
of the matter we deal with.
We are all agreed that there can
be no peace obtained by any kind Of
bargain or compromise with the gov
ernments of the Central Empires be-
cause we have dealt with them al
ready and have seen them deal with
other governments that were parties
to this struggle, at Brest-Litovsk and
Bucharest. They have convinced us
/ that they are without honor and do
not intend justice. They observe no
covenants, accept no principle but
force and their own interest We
cannot come to terms with them.
They have made it impossible. The
German people must by this time be
fully aware that we cannot accept
the word of those who forced this
war upon US. We do not think the
same thoughts or speak the same
language of agreement.
1t is of capital Importance that we
should also be explicitly agreed that
no peace shall be obtained by any
kind of compromise or abatement of
the principles we have avowed as the
| principles for which we are fighting
There should exist no doubt about
that. | am, therefore, going to take
the liberty of speaking with the ut
most frankness about he practical i'm
! plications that are involved in it.
If it be indeed and in truth the
common object of the governments
associated against Germany of the
nations whom they govern, as l be-
lieve it to be, to achieve by the COM
ing settlements a secure and lasting
peace, it will be necessary that all
who sit down at the peace table shall
come ready and willing to pay the
! price, thhe only price that will pro-
cure it; and ready and willing also
to create in some virile fashion the
only instrurnentality by which it can
be made certain that the agreements
of the peace will be honored and full
filled.
| That price is impartial justice in
every item of the settlement no mat
ter whose interest is crossed; and not
only impartial justice, but also the
J satisfaction of the several peoples
whose fortunes are dealt with. That
Indispensable linstrumentality is a
league of the nations formed under
| covenants that will be efficacious.
! Without such instrumentality by
which the people of the world can
be guaranteed, peace will rest in part
upon the word of outlaws and only
upon that word. For Germany will
have to redeem her character, not by
what happens' at the peace table, but
by what follows.
And, as | see it, the constitution of
that league OF nations and the clear
definition of it's objects must be
part, is in sense the most essential
part of the peace settlement itself.
{ 1t cannot be formed now. If formed
now it would be merely new alli-
ance confined to the nations associ-
ated against common enemy. 1t is
not likely that it could be formed aft
er the settlement. 1t is necessary
to guarantee the peace; aal tAo p2a1e
cannot be guaranteed as an after
thought. The reason, to speak in
plain terms again, why it INST. be
guaranteed is that there will be par
ties to the peace whose promises have
proved untrustworthy, and means
must be found in connection with the
peace settlement itself to remove that
source of insecurity. 1t would be fol-
ly to leave the guarantee to the sub
sequent voluntary action of the gov
ernments as we have seen destroy
Russia and deceive Rumania.
but these general terms do not dis
close the whole matter. Some de-
tails are needed to make them sound
less like "a thesis and more like
practical program. These, then, are
some of the particulars, and | state
them with the greatest confidence be-
cause | can state them authoriativelv
, as representing this governments in
depreciation of its own duty with re-
gard to peace:
First, the impartial Justice meted
out must involve no discrimination be-
tween those to whom we wish to be
just and those to whom we do not
wish to be just. 1t must be JUS
tice that plays no favorites and knows
no standard but the equal rights of
the several peoples concerned;
Second, no special or separate in
terests of any single nation or any
| nf l. l. I.