Norwich bulletin., 1918-01-09

Washington, Jan. S.-America's pro- yramme of war and peace, with defin- lte terms upon which the nations, great and small. fighting together against German world domination, are ready to lay down their arms, was giv- en to the world by President Wilson today through an address to congress In joint session.
 Stand Together to the End.
 For this programme based upon the fighting of wrongs and the safety of peace-loving peoples desiring to live .heir own lives, the president com- nitted the United States to fight and continue to fight until it is accomplish d. Thus he pledged the country to he allied policy of no separate peace. We cannot be separated in inter- st or divided in purpose" he said.
 We must stand together to the ,nd.'
 Speech Accepted With Approval.
 The speech, heard by congress at an 1onr's notice and accepted with a wave of approval that brought togeth- sr virtually every element of both aonses, was delivered as a direct re- gponse to the German challenge in the segotiations with the Russians at Rrest-Litovsk. It followed closely and ipproved the address of the British iremier. but was far more specific in fatement of terms, robbing of force 10 advance any German peace drive de- signed to confuse the entente and the American governments and their peo- Fle, while at the same time present. ng the foundation for genuine nego- hations. whenever the central powers re ready to talk of a just peace.
 Fourteen Concrete Proposals. I Fourteen concrete proposals laid town by the president began with the declaration that the days of private International understandings are gone md that covenants of peace must be reached in the open. Briefly sum narized. the other points were: Absolute freedom of the seas in peace or war except as they may be slosed by international action; remov- ll of economic barriers among nations LssociatinC themselves to maintain peace: guarantees of the reduction of armaHnents to the lowest point con- sistent with domestc safety; impartial adjustment of colonial claims, based on the principal that the peoples con- cerned have equal rights with the gov- ernment: evacuation of ail Russian ter ritory and opportunity for Russia's po- litical development; evacuation of Bel =ium; evacuation of French territory and fighting of the A1sace-Lcrraine wrong; r73djustment of Italy's from tiers along recognizable lines of na- tionality; free opportunity for aurono- nous development of the peoples oi Austria Hungary; evacuation of Rou- mania, Serbia and Montenegro and guarantees for all the Balkan states; sovereignty for Turkeys portion of the Ottoman empire and autonomy fol other nationahdes; an independent Poland with access to the sea; and general association of nations for mu- tual guarantees of independence and territorial integrity to large and small states alike.
 Sympathetic Toward Boisheviki.
 A notable feature of the address wal the sympathetic attitude of the presi. dent toward the Russian representa- lives who dealt with the Germans al the peace conference Bolsheviki often execrated for their defectior from the entente and for permitting 10 be drawn into the Teutonic peacs trap. The Russians, be said, present Ing a perfectly clear statement of tn, principles upon which they would b willing to conclude peace, were sheer and in earnest and when they fcunt that the actual German terms of set clement came from the military lead CTS. who had no thought but to keeI what they had taken, the negotiat tion were broken of.
 Upon the question of whether tn Russians and the world are to listel 10 the military and imperialistic mi nority, which so far has dominated tn Teutonic policy, or to the liberal lead CTS and parties who speak the spiri and intentions of the resolutions adopt sd by the Germas reichstag last Jul! Inc president declared, must depen the peace of the world. This was i line with hiT previous declaration tha the word of the present rulers of Ger many could not be taken for anythin worth while, but he took care to dis claim any intention to suggest
 change in German institutions.
 A Great Address.
 Everywhere in Washington it wa agreed that the president had made great address and had given expres sion 10 the views of the America people as a whole. The difference opinion was as to whether it was peace or a war speech. Some men bers of both houses of congress pro fessed to believe that the German might find the terms laid down aG ceptabie as a basis of negotiations ar 10 hope that bona finde offer migl result
 In most quarters, however, there VI much optimism and the speech W. looked upon as great war documel clearing the atmosphere for the go7 ernments and peoples fighting Ge, many, heartening the disorganizs Russians and furnishing a light for u German people themselves when tht want to see 1t.
 Counteracts German Duplicity.
 In response to the universal nueI