The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1918-10-03
Wilson'S Terms for Peace.

With great crowds gathering at
peace demonstrations in German
cities and Hindenbulrg, explaining
the the entente allies "a are willing to quit
and with the opposition party in
Hungary publicly proclaiming that
the time has arrived to accept Presi-
dent Wilson'S terms for peace we
can review those terms as defined
by the president in his public ad-
dress.
On Feb. II he said to congress:
First-That each part of the final
settlement must be based upon the
essential justice Of that particular
case and upon such adjustments, as
are most likely to bring a peace that
will be permanent:
Second-That peoples and prov
inces are not to be bartered about
from sovereignty to sovereignty as il
they were mere chattels and paWns
in the game, now forever discredited,
of the balance Of power; but that
ment involved in this war must be
made in the interest and for the
benefit of the populations concerned
and not as part of any mere ad-
justment or compromise OF claims
against rival states; and
Fourth-That all we'll defined ma,
tional aspirations shall be accorded
perpetuating old elements OF discord
and antagonism that would be likely
in time to break the peace OF Europe
and consequently of the world.
In his Fourth of July address at
the, tomb of Washington he again
said:
First-The destruction Of every
arbitrary power anywhere that can
separately, secretly and OF its single
choice disturb the peace of the
world; or if it can not be presently
destroyed, at least it's reduction to
virtual impotence.
Second-The settlement of every
question, whether of territory, Of
sovereignty, of economic arrangement
or of political relationship. upon the
basis of the free acceptance of that
settlement by the people immediate
ly concerned, and not upon the basis
Of the material interest OF advantage
may desire different settlement
for the sake of it's own exterior in
fluence or mastery.
Third-The consent of all ma
tons to be governed in their con-
duct toward each other by the same
principles of honor and of respect
for the common laws of civilized
society that govern the individual
citizens of all modern states in their
relations with one another, to the
end that all promises and covenants
may be sacredly observed. no private
plots or conspiracies hatched, no
selfish injuries wrought with inn
punity. and a mutual trust establish
ed upon the foundation of mutual
respect for right.
Fourth-The establishment OF, an
Organization of peace which shall
make it certain that the combined
power of free nations will check eV-
cry invasion of right and serve to
make peace and justice the more Sc
cure by affording a definite tribunal
of opinion to which all must sub
nit and by which every information
al reimbursement that can not be
amicably agreed upon by the peoples
directly concerned shall be sanction
ed ~.
The president assumes. that the
confidential. nonbinding' dis
cusson of peace terms has already
taken place in the form of mono
Iogue and President Wilson has been
accused in congress of being very
much of a monologuer himself. The
time has arrived, as the common IN
people among the. central powers are
beginning to realize, for the govern
ments of Germany and Austria TO
propose a binding peace upon Presl-
dent Wilson's terms. This is the
belief of the opposition party in
Hungary as expressed recently by
| it's leader Count Michael. You are
dead right about it, Mike. Better
now than later.