The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1918-10-04

the nations at war with Germany
and her allies considered every pos.
sible angle of the proposition foi
unity of action in the ranks of labor
on questions affected by the war
particularly as to the terms OF
peace.
After most thorough discussion
the terms of peace formulated by
President Wilson and presented to
the conference by President Samuel
Gompers of the American Federation
of Labor and his co-delegates to the
conference were referred to COM
mittee which reported them favor
ably.
The conference unanimously en-
dorsed the favorable report of the
committee.
The fourteen points made by Pres
ident Wilson follow:
81. Open covenants of peace, open
ly arrived at, after which there
shall be no private international
understandings of any kind but di-
plomacy shall proceed always frank
ly and in the public view.
"2. Absolute freedom of naviga-
tion 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
action for the enforcement of inter-
national covenants.
"3. The removal, so far as posi-
BILE, of all economic barriers and the
establishment of an equality of trade
conditions among all the nations
consenting to the peace and associat-
ing themselves for it's maintenance.
"a. Adequate guarantees given
and taken that national ornaments
will be reduced to the lowest point
consistent with domestic safety.
"5. A free, open-minded, and alb
solutely impartial adjustment of all
colonial claims, based upon a strict
observance of the principle that in
determining all such questions of
sovereignty the interests of the pop
ulations concerned must have equal
weight with the equitable claims of
the government whose title is to be
determined.
sc. The evacuation of all Rus
sian territory and such a settlement
of all questions affecting Russia as
will secure the best and freest CO.
operation of the other nations of the
world in obtaining for her an un-
hampered and unembarrassed oppor-
tunity for the independent determina-
ton of her own political development
and national policy and assure her of
sincere welcome into the society of
free nations under institutions of
her own choosing; and, more than
welcome, assistance also of every
kind that she may need and may
herself desire The treatment ac-
corded Russia by her sister nations
in the months to come will be the
acid test of their good will, of their
comprehension of her needs as dis
tnguished and their own interests,
and of their intelligent and unself
ish sympathy.
"7. Belgium, the whole world Will
agree, must be evacuated and restor-
ed, without any attempt to limit the
sovereignty which she enjoys in
common with all other free nations.
No other single act will serve as
this will serve to restore confidence
among the nations in the laws which
they have themselves set and deter
mined for the government of their
relations with one another. With
out this healing act the whole
structure and validity of interna-
tional law is forever impaired.
"8. All French territory should be
eed and the invaded portions re-
stored, and the wrong done to France
by Prussia in 1871 in the matter Of
Alsace-Lorraine which has unset
tied the peace of the world for near
" fifty years, should be righted, in
order that peace may once more be
ade secure in the interest of all.
80. A readjustment of the from
tiers of Italy should be effected
along clearly recognizable lines of
nationality.
40. TIE peoples of Austria-Hun-
cary, whose place among the ma
tions we wish to see safeguarded and
assured, should be accorded the free
est opportunity of autonomous de-
veorment.
al. Rumania, Serbia and Mon
tenegro should be evacuated; occu-
njed territories restored; Serbia ac-
corded free and secure access to the
sea and the relations of the several