Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-01-16

treasure unless he is sure beyonl
peradyenture that the objects of the
vital sacrifice are part and parcel of
the very life of society and that the
people for whom he speaks think them
right and imperative as he does
There is, moreover, voice calling
Tor these definitions of principle and
purpose which is, 1t seems to me, more
thrilling and more compelling than any
OF the many moving voices with which
the troubled air of the world is filed
1t is the voice of the Russian people
they are PROSTATE and all but helpless,
1t would seem, before the grim power
OF Germany, which has hitherto known
no relenting and no pity.
Russ Power Shattered.
Their power apparently is shat
tered, and vet their soul is not sub
servient. They will not yield either In
principle or in action. The conception
OF what is right, of what it is humane
and honorable for them to accept, has
been stated with frankness, a large
ness of view, generosity of spirit and
a universal human sympathy which
must challenge the admiration of
every friend of mankind; and they
refused to compound their ideals or de-
sert others that they themselves may
be safe.
They call to us to say what it is
that we desire, in what, if in anything,
our purpose and our spirit differ from
theirs; and / believe that the people
of the United States would wish me to
respond with utter simplicity and
frankness.
Whether their present leaders be-
sire and hope that some way may be
opened whereby we may be privileged
to assist the people of Russia to at
tain their utmost hope of liberty and
ordered peace.
No Secret Understandings.
at will be our wish and purpose that
the processes of peace. when they are
begun, shall be absolutely open and
that they shall involve and permit
henceforth no secret understandings of
any kind. The day of conquest and
| ACKNOWLEDGEMENT is gone by; so is also
the day of secret covenants entered in
20 in the interest of particular govern
ments and likely at some unlooked-for
moment to upset the peace of the
world.
1--WE entered this war because vio-
lations of right had occurred which
| alaI - Io vi7Iy do 70
life of our own people impossible I'M
less they were corrected and the world
secured once for all against their re-
currence.
what we demand in this war, there
fore is nothing peculiar to ourselves.
at is that the world be made fit and
safe to live in; and particularly that
it be made safe for every peace-lov-
| ing nation which, like our own, wish
| to live its own life, determine it's own
| institutions, be assured of justice and
| fair dealing by the other peoples Of the
world as against force and selfish ag-
gression. All the peoples of the world
are in effect partners in this interest,
and for our own part we see very clear
ly that unless justice be done to 9th
.ers 1t will not be done to US.
1.-THE program of the worlds peace,
| therefore, is our program, and that
program, the only possible program, as
we see it, is this:
Wants Open Covenants.
/. Open covenants of peace, openly
| arrived at, after which there shall be
no private international understand
| ings of any kind, but diplomacy shall
proceed always frankly and in the pub
lie view.
2. Absolute freedom of navigation
| upon the seas, outside territorial wa
| tiers, alike in peace and in war, except
as the seas may be closed In whole or
in part by international action for the
| enforcement of international cove
nants.
3. The removal, so far as possible, Of
all economic barriers and the estab-
| lfshment of an equality of trade con-
| ditions among all the nations consent
ing to the peace and associating them
selves for its maintenance.
4. Adequate guarantees given and ia
ken that national ornaments will be
reduced to the lowest point consistent
with domestic safety.
3. A free, open-minded and absolute
Iy impartial adjustment of all colonial
| claims, based upon strict observance
of the principle that in determining all
such questions of sovereignty the in
terests of the populations concerned
must have equal weight with the equit-
able claims of the government whose
| title is to be determined.
| Must Evacuate Russia.
6. The evacuation of all Russian ter
ritory and such settlement of all
questions affecting Russia as will Sc
cure the best and freest cooperation
of the other nations of the world in
obtaining for her an unhampered and
unembarrassed. opportunity for the in