The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-08
UNTIL GERMANY
Continued from Page one.)

New York, the only Socialist in con-
gress declared:
at is a good message"
Text of Presidents Speech.
The president spoke as follows:
Gentlemen of the congress:
"Once more, as repeatedly before,
the spokesman of the central empires
have indicated their desire to discuss
the objects of the war and the posi-
BILE basis of a general peace. Parleys
have been in progress at Brest-Litovsk
between Russian representatives and
representatives of the central powers
to which the attention of all the bel
ligerents has been invited for the pur-
pose of ascertaining whether it, may
be possible to extend these parleys
into a general conference with regard
to terms of peace, and settlement. The
Russian representatives presented not
only a perfectly definite statement of
the principles upon which they would
be willing to conclude peace, but, also,
an equally definite program of the
concrete application of those princi-
pies. The representatives of the CEN
trail powers, on their part, presented
an outline of settlement which, If
much less definite, seemed susceptible
of liberal Interpretation until their
specific program of practical terms
was added. That program proposed
no concessions at all either to SOW
ereignty of Russia or to the prefer
fortunes it dealt, but meant, in a 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
a permanent addition to their terri
tories AM. their power. 1t is a rea-
sonable conjecture that the general
principle of settlement which they at
first suggested, originated with the
more liberal statesmen of Germany
nd -frfa tl1a
to feel the force of their own peoples
thought and purpose, while the con-
crete terms of actual settlement came
from the military leaders who have
no thought but to keep what they
have got. The negotiations have been
broken off. The Russian representa-
tives were sincere and in earnest
They cannot entertain such proposals
of conquest and domination.
Peace of the World at Stake.
The Whole incident is full of sig
uificance. 1t is also full of perplex-
ity. With whom are the Russian req
resentatives dealing? For whom are
the representatives of the central en-
pires speaking? Are they speaking for
the majorities of their respective par
iaments or for the minority parties
that military and imperialistic minor
ity which has SO far dominated their
whole policy, and controlled the af-
states which have felt obliged to be-
come their associates in this war?
The russian representatives have in
sisted, very justly, very wisely, and in
the true spirit of democracy that the
conferences they have been holding
with the Teutonic and Turkish states
men should be held within open, not
closed doors and all the world has
been audience as was desired. To
whom have we been listening then :?
To those who speak the spirit and
intention of the resolutions of the Ger
men reichstag of the ninth of July
last, the spirit and intention of the
liberal leaders and parties of Ger
many or to those who resist and DEFY
that spirit and intention and insist
upon conquest and subjugation. or
are we listening in fact to both IN
reco1clled and in open and hopeless
contradictions These are very seri-
GUS and pregnant questions. ITpon
the answer to them depends the
peace of the world.
Allies Have No Secret Aims
But whatever the results of tho
parleys at Brest-Litovsk, whatever the
confuslons 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 adversar;as 70
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 responded to
with the utmost candor. We did not
wait Tor It, Not once, but again and
again we have laid our whole thought
and purpose before the world. not in
general terms only, but each time with
suff1c1ent definition to make it clear
what sort of definitive terms of set
tlement must necessarily spring ont Of
them Within the last week Mr.. Ilovd
george has spoken with admiral bile
candor and in admirable spirit for the
people and government of Great Rri-
tain There is no confusion of counsel
among the adversaries of the central
powers, no uncertainty of principle, no
vagueness of detail. The only secrecy
OF counsel, the only lack of fearless
frankness. the only failure to make
definite statement of the objects of the
war, lies with Germany and her allies
The issues of life and death hang upon
these definitions. No statesman who
has the least conception of his respon-
sibility ought moment permit himself
to continue this tragical and appalling
outpouring of blood and treasure UNI
less ne is sure beyond a peradventure
that the objects of the vital sacrifice
are part and parcel of the very life
OF society and that the people for
whom he speaks, think them right
and imperative as he does.
The Voice of Russia.
There is, moreover, a voice calling
for these definitions of principle and
OF purpose which is, it seems to me-
more thrilling and more compelling
than any of the many moving voices
with which the troubled air of the