The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1918-02-15

clear eyes ana QOeS nOC seek TO OD-
scure them. He sees that an indie
pendent Poland, made up of all the
indisputably Polish peoples who lie
contiguous to one another, is a mat
ter of European concern and 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
mankind. If he is silent about ques-
tions which touch the interest and
purpose of his Allies more nearly
than they touch those of Austria on
ly, it must of course be because he
feels constrained, I suppose, to de-
fer to Germany and Turkey in the
circumstances. Seeing and conced-
ing, as he does, the essential princi-
pies involved and the necessity of
candidly applying them, he natur-
ally feels that Austria can respond
to the purpose of peace as express
ed by the United States with less
embarrassment than could Germany.
He would probably have gone much
farther had it not been for the en-
barrassments of Austria's alliances
and of her dependence upon Ger
many.
Principles to be Applied.
After all the test of whether it is
possible for either government to 60
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
settlement must be based upon the
essential justice of that particular
WILSON'S ODDREss-- Galley s.
case and upon sdch adjustments as
are most likely to bring a peace that
will be permanent. ....
Second, that peoples and provinces
are not to be barted about from
sovereignty to sovereignty as if they
were mere chattels and pawns in
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
compromise Of claims amongst RI
val States; and, ,.
Fourth, that all we'll defined ma
tional aspirations shall be accorded
the utmost satisfaction that can be
accorded them without introducing
new or perpetuating old elements of
discord and anatgonism that would
be likely in times to break the peace
of Europe and consequently of the
world.
A Peace to, be Discussed.
A general peace erected upon such
foundations can be discussed. Until
such a peace can be secured we have
no choice but to 60. So far as we
can judge, these principles that we
regard as fundamental are already
everywhere accepted as imperative
except among the spokesmen 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 circumstances
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.
Can't Turn Back.
l would not be a 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
modified now, and we shall not
u Ill.