Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1918-01-16

IIcSlucHt WliSOI y uuuIcSS W COu-
gress is as follows:
"Gentlemcn OF the Congress:
Once more, as repeatedly before,
tho spokesman Of the Central Em-
pires have indicated their desire to
discuss the objects Of the war and
the possible bases of Il general peace.
Parleys have been in progress ut
Brest-Litovsk between Russian rep
resentatives and representatives OF
the Central Powers to which the at
tention Of all tho bclligercnts has
been invited for the purpose Of as
certaining whether it may be posi-
bic to extend these parleys into
general conference with regard to
terms Of peace and settlement.
"rhe Russian representatives pre-
sented not only q perfectly definite
statement Of the principles on which
they would be willing to conclude
peace, but also an equally definite
program Of tho concrete application
OF those principles. The representa-
tives Of the Central Powers on their
part presented an outline OF settle
ment which, If much less definite,
seemed susceptible of liberal inter-
pretation until their specific program
Of practical torms was added.
Made No Concessions.
That program proposed no con.
cessions at all, either to tho sovel-
ri " nf 10 fO In
Of tho populations with whose for
tunes 1t dealt, but meant, in 4 word,
that the Central Powers were to
keep every foot OF territory thel:
armed forces had occupied--every
province, every city. every point Of
u vantage-as q permanent addition to
their territories and their power.
at Is a reasonable conjecture that
tho general principles rf settlement
which they at first suggested origi-
mated with the more liberal states
men Of Germany and Austria, the
mon who have begun to feel the
force OF their own peoples thought
and purposes, while the concrete
terms OF actual settlement came from
the military leaders, who have no
thought hut to keep what they have
got Tnc ncGotia,ions have b"er
hrct"n nff Tho Eusaian u }rrsa&-
t@iiyUH Nv.v ,lNGcrn and IN earnest.
They cannot nntcrtaW such propusais
oi conquest anu domination.
Perpleximg Problem.
''The Russian representatives have
ineisted, very justly, very wisely and
II. the true spirit Of modern democ-
racy, that the conferences they have
been holding with the Teutonic and
Turkish statesmen should be held
within open. not closed, doors, and
oil the world has been audience. as
was desired. TO whom have we been
listening. then? TO those who spaak
the spri. and intention OF the reso-
lutions Of the German Reichstag Of
the 9th Of July last, the spirit and
intention OF the Liberal leaders ard
parties Of Germany. or to those who
resist and defy that spirit and inten-
tion and insist on conquest and sub
.jugation? Or are we listening in
fact, to both, unreconciled and in
open and hopeless contradiction
These are very serious and pregnant
questions. Upon the answer to them
depends the peace of the world.
But whatever the results Of the
parleys at Brest-Litovsk, whatever
the confusiOns OF counsel and M mr.
pose In the utterances OF the spokes-
men Of the Central Empires, they
have again attempted to acquaint
the world with their objects in the
war and have again challenged their
adversaries to say what their OBJ
jects are and what sort of settle
ment they would deem just and sat
isfactory.
Challenge Accepted.
"Thcre Is no good reason why that
challenge should not be responded to, |
and responded to with tho utmost |
candor. We did not wait for It. Not |
once. but again and again we have |
laid our whole thought and purpose |
before the world, not in general |
terms only, but each time with sufn- |
cient definition to make it clear what |
sort OF dehnitive terms Of settlement
must necessarily spring out Of them
within the last week Mr.. Lloyd
George has spoken with admirable
candor and in admirable spirit for
tho DeODle and pOyornmnnt of Graof