The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-01-08

ILL ~ "A
outpouring OF blood and treasure un,
less he is sure beyond a peradventurt
that the objects Of the vital sacrifice
are part and parcel of the very life
OF society and that the people fol
whom he speaks think them right
and imperative as he does.
Voice of Russian People.
There Is, moreover, a voice call
ing for these definitions of principl,
and OF purpose which Is, 1t seems x
me, more thrilling and more compel.
ling than any OF the many voices
with which the troubled air Of the
world is filled. 1t is the voice OF this
Russian people. They arc prostratC
and all but helpless, it would seem
before the grim power of Germany
which has hitherto known no relent.
ing and no pity. Their power, ap.
parently is shattered, and yet theil
soul is not subservient. They will
not yield either in principle or in ac.
ton. The conception of what II
right, of what 1t is humane and hon.
orable for them to accept, has beer
stated with a frankness, a largenesI
OF view, a generosity OF spirit and q
universal human sympathy which
must challenge the admiration Of
have refused to compound theil
ideals or desert others that they
themselves may be safe.
They call TO us to say what IL
Is that we desire, in what, IL 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
frsnkness. Whether their pres.
ent leaders believe IL or not, Il is
our heartfelt desire and hope that
some way may be opened where
by we may be privileged TO assist
the people Of Russia to attain
their utmost hope of liberty and
ordered peace.
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 under
standings Of any kind.
Day Of Conquest Past.
The day Of conquest and aggran-
dizement is gone by; so Is also the
day OF secret covenants entered into
A&A VIZ AAANCACDL vi bcAkAIuAdE kUNEEh@
ments and likely at some unlocked
for moment to upset the peace OF the
world. 1t is this happy fact, now
clear to the view Of every public man
whose thoughts do not still linger
in an age that is dead and gone,
which makes It possible for every
nation whose purposes are consistent
with justice and the peace of the
world to avow now or at any other
time the objects it has in view.
I'VE entered this war because vio-
lations Of right had occurred which
touched us to the quick and made
the life Of our own people impossible
unless they were corrected and the
world secured once for all against
their recurrence. What we demand
in this war, therefore, is nothing Pc
culiar to ourselves. II is that the
world be made fit and safe to live
In; and particularly that it be made
safe for every peace-loving nation,
which, like our own, wishes to live
Its own life, determine its own insti-
tutions, be assured Of justice and fair
dealing by the other peoples of the
world as against force and selfish ae-
gression. All the peoples of the world
are In effect partners in this interest
and for our own part we see very
clearly that unless Justice be done
to others II will not be done to us.
The Peace Program.
The program Of the worlds peace,
therefore, is our program, and that
program, the only possible program,
rs we see it, is this:
"1-Open covenants Of peace. open-
" arrived at, after which there shall
be no private international under
standings Of any kind but diplomacy
shall proceed always frankly and in
the public view.
'u-Absolute freedom of naviga-
lion upon the seas, outside territorial
waters, alike in peace and in war,
except as the seas may be closed in
whole or in part by international a.o-
ion for the enforcement OF interna-
.ional covenants.
'IIT-The removal, so far as pos
ible, Of all economic carriers and the
Of an equality Of trade
conditions among all the nations con-
enting to the peace and associating
themselves for its maintenance.
'1V--Adequate guarantees given
md taken that national ornaments
will be reduced to the lowest point
consistent with domestic safety.
VA free, open-minded, and alb !
olutely impartial adjustment of all
colonial claims, based upon a strict
Of the principle that in |
determining all such questions of
overeignty the interests of the popu- |
atoms concerned must have equal
weight with the equitable claims of |
he government whose title is to be |
"VI-The evacuation Of all Russian |
Hg,Fsw ~ 4, IA
uestions affecting Russia as will |
ecure the best and freest co-opera-
cfon of the other nations Of the
Torld in obtaining for her an I'M
ampered and unembarrassed oppor-
unity for the Independent deter |
1ination OF her own political devsl- |
pment and national policy and as
ure her Of a sincere welcome into
he society Of free nations under in
titutions Of her own choosing; and, |
lore than a welcome, assistance also |
t every kind that she may need and |
lay herself desire. This treatment |
ccOrded Russia by her sister nations
\ the months to come will be the
cid test Of their good will, Of theirl
OF her needs as
from their own inter-
SITS, and Of their Intelligent and I'M
elfish sympathy.
Belgium Comes First.
''VIT-BeIgium, the whole world /
1ill agree, must be evacuated and /
without any attempt to |
NIT the sovereignty which she en-
oys In common with all other free
atoms. No other single act will
erve as this will serve to restore
onfidence among the nations in the
lws which they have themselves
ct and determined for the govern
lent OF their relations with one an
ther. Without this healing act the
yhole structure and validity OF in
irrational law Is forever impaired.
'VIII-All French territory should
q freed and the invaded portions
and the wrong done to |
rance by Prussia in 1871 in the