The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-01-08
PRESIDENT ADDRESSES
CONGRESS, MAKING
PRINCIPLES CLEAR
Continued From Page One.)

mite program Of the concrete applica-
ton Of those principles. The repre-
sentatives of the central powers OIL
their part presented an outline Of
settlement which, if much less def
mite, seemed susceptible of liberal in
depreciation until their specific pro-
gram of practical terms was added.
No Concessions.
"The program proposed no conces-
sions at all, either to the sovereignty
OF Russia or to the preferences OF
the population with whose fortunes
it dealt, but meant, in word, that
the central empires were to keep
every foot of territory their armed
forces had occupied-every province,
every city, every point of vantage
as permanent addition to their ter
ritories and their power. 1t is a rea-
sonable conjecture that the general
principles of settlement, which they
at first suggested originated with the
more liberal statesmen of Germany
and Austria, the men who have be-
gun to feel the force Of their own
peoples thought and purpose, while
the concrete terms of actual settle
ment came from the military leaders
who have no thought but to keep
what they had got. The negotiations
have been broken off. The Russian
representatives were sincere and in
earnest. They cannot entertain such
proposals of conquest and domina-
ton.
Significant Incident.
1.-THE whole incident is full of sig
nificance. 1t is also full Of perplex-
ity. With whom are the Russian rep
resentatives dealing? For whom are
the representatives Of the central en-
pires speaking? Are they speaking
for the majoritics of their respective
parliaments, or for the minority par
ties that military and imperialistic
minority which hes so far dominated
their whole policy and controlled the
affairs of Turkey and of the Balkan
states which have felt obliged to be-
come their associates in this war?
Pregnant Questions.
k "The Russian representatives have
insisted that the conference they have
been holding should BE held within
open, not closed, doors, and all the
world has been audienced as was
desired. TO whom have we been lis
tening then? TO those who speak
the spirit and intention of the reso-
buttons Of the German reichstag of
the 9th of July last, the spirit and in
tentions of the liberal leaders and
parties of Germany or to those who
resist and defy that spirit and inten-
ton, and insist upon conquest and
subjugation? Or are we listening,
in fact, to both unreconciled and In
open and hopeless contradiction?
These are very serious, and pregnant
questions. Upon the answer to them
depends the peace of the world.
Challenge Accepted.
"But whatever the results Of the
parleys at Brest-Litovsk, whatever
the confusion of counsel and purpose
in the utterances of the spokesman OF
the central empires, they have again
attempted to acquaint the world with
their objects in the war, and have
again challenged their adversarles to
say what their objects are and what
sort of settlement they would deem
Just and satisfactory. There is no
good reason why that challenge
Should not be responded to, and re-
sponded to with the utmost candor.
/. 1--WE did not wait for it. Not once.
but again and again we have laid our
whole thought and purpose before the
world, not in general terms only, but
with sufficient definition to make 1t
clear what sort of definite terms Of
settlement must necessarily spring
out of them. Within the last week
Mr.. Lloyd George has spoken with
admirable candor and in admirable
spirit for the people and government
|of Great Britain. There is no con