Evening star., 1918-02-11

ter OF European concern ana must
of course be conceded; that Belgium
must be evacuated and restored, no
matter what sacrifices and conces-
sions that may involve: and that ma
tional aspirations must be satisfied,
even within his own empire, in the
common interest of Europe and man
kind. If he is silent about questions
which touch the interest and pur-
pose of his allies more nearly than
they touch those of Austria only, it
must of course be because he feels
constrained. l suppose, to defer to
Germany and Turkey in the circum-
stances. Seeing and conceding, as
he does, the essential principles in
volved and the necessity of candidly
applying them, he naturally feels
that Austria can respond to the pur-
pose of peace as expressed by the
United States with less embarrass-
ment than could Germany. He
would probably have gone much far
ther had it not been for the embar-
rassments of Austrias alliances and
of her dependence upon Germany.
Principles to Be Applied.
After all, the test of whether it is
possible for either government to go
any further in this comparison of
views is simple and obvious. The
principles to be applied are these:
First, that each part of the final set
tlement must be based upon the es-
sential justice of that particular case
and upon such adjustments as are
most likely to bring a peace that will
be permanent:
Second, that peoples and provinces
are not to be bartered about from
sovereignty to sovereignty as if they
were mere chattels and pawns in a
game, even the great game. now for
ever discredited, of the balance of
power; but that
Third, every territorial settlement
involved in this war must be made in
the interest and for the benefit of the
populations concerned, and not as a
part of any mere adjustment or COM
promise of claims amongst rival
states: and
Fourth, that all well defined ma
tional aspiration shall be accorded
the utmost satisfaction that can be
accorded them without introducing
new or perpetuating old elements OF
discord and antagonism that would be
likely in time to break the peace OF
Europe and consequently of the world.
A general peace erected upon such
foundations can be discussed. Until
such a peace can be secured we have
no choice but to go on. So far as we
can judge, these priQcipfes that we
regard as fundamental are already
everywhere accepted as imperative
except among the spokesman of the
military and annexationist party in
Germany. If they. have anywhere
else been rejected, the objectors
have not been sufficiently numerous
or influential to make their voices
audible. The tragical circumstance
is that this one party in Germany
is apparently willing and able to
send millions of men to their death
to prevent what all the world now
sees to be just.
/ would not be true spokesman
of the people of the United States if
l did not say once more that We
entered this war upon no small oc-
casion, and that we can never turn
back from a course chosen upon
principle. Our resources are in part
mobilized now, and we shall not
pause until they are mohilized in
their entirety. Our armies are rapid
" going to the fighting front, and
will go more and more rapidly Our
whole strength will be put into this
war of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
from the threat and attempted mas
terry of selfish groups of autocratic
rulers-whatever the difficulties and
present partial delays.
We are indomitable in our power
of Independent action and can in no
circumstances consent to live in a
world governed by intrigue and
force. We believe that our own de-
sire for a new international order
under which peason and justice and
the common interests of mankind
shall prevail is che desire of enlight-
ened men everywhere. Without that
new order the world will be without
peace and human life will lack toll
cradle conditions of existence and
development. Having set our hand
to the task of achieving it, we shall
not turn back.
hope that it is not necessary for
me to add that no word of what I
have said is intended as threat.
That is not the,temper Of our people.
I have spoken thus only that the
whole world may know the true
spirit OF America-that men eveyy-