Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-11
CHALLENGE AND REPLY.

President Wilson's speech to con-
gress and the world Yesterday was. as
he said. a reply to the Teutonic chal-
lenge for a statement Of terms OF
peace by the nations allied in war
against Prussianism.
1t was a frank reply; more frank,
perhaps, than any utterance by the
president on the subject since the
United states entered the war. There
is less Of generality and more of con-
crete condition; there is less of senti-
ment and more of righteous anger;
there is less of polite phrasfng and
more of the war spirit which should
permeate America and which, alas, is
not strong enough in many quarters to
drown out the vail of the pacifist, the
plant of the pro-German or the social
lists disloyal appeal to class prejudice.
Premier Lloyd George, in his state
ment of peace terms for Great Britain
last week, dealt somewhat harshly
with the Russian situation. He reveal
ed his disgust with the mess that has
been made Of things by the socialists
and the extremists and IN effect he
said that If the whole of Russia chose
to be led into ruin by Lenine and
Trotzky he was sorry. but the respon-
sibility must rest on the Russians
themselves.
This, according to dispatches from
London and Petrograd, has created
considerable distress in Russia and
has enabled the bolshevfki leaders to
count on an increased following by
strengthening their contention that
the entente nations are inclined to
withhold either aid or sympathy from
Russia. thus sacrificing Poland and
those portions of Russia Itself where
the people still are true to the anti
militaristic ideals of free government
which inspired the revolution Of last
spring.
President Wilson's references to
Russia doubtless were written with a
view to salving the wound the pre-
mier's words opened. Not only did
the president make free Poland and
evacuation Of Rumania. Montenegro
and Serbia conditions Of peace, but he
demanded also evacuation OF all Rus
sian territory held by the enemy and
an opportunity for Russian political
development.
He went even farther for he praised
the demands with which Russia enter.
ed into peace negotiations with the
central powers. Then he paid some
what elaborate compliments to the
shirt of the staunch desire for liberty
which defeat and anarchy have failed
to crush in Russia, and added this as
surance:
Whether their present leaders
believe it or not, 1t Is our hear
test desire and hope that some
way may be opened whereby we
may be privileged to assist the
people Of Russia to attain their
utmost hope for liberty and order
ed peace.
The president recognized and gave
lengthy comment to the political DIFF
ferences within Germany, and demand
ed to know whether the reichstag ma
jority. which long ago declared for. a
peace on the basis Of no annexations
and no indemnihes, will submit to the
high-handed policy Of grab which the
militarists have exhibited in their
dealings with the bolsheviki.
This is his first appeal to any por-
ton Of divided Germany and his rec
IGNITION Of q division lends weight to
tha stories which have come from
abroad to the effect that not only So
cialism and pacifist propaganda but a
taryIy realization Of the kaiser's crimes
;,,.HS~o a~d u,Nra l{fv npo ko.