Daily Kennebec journal., 1918-07-17
WRONGS SUFFERED
Continued from Page One)

be carried out at the expense of the
Central Powers.
These annexationist aims. though va
riouSly shaped. are generally known.
THE intention, however, also exists,
especially in regard to Austria Hun
gary, to carry out her internal disinte
grafton for the purpose of the forma-
ton Of new states. Finally. our oppon-
ants demand our atonement because we
dared 70 defend ourselves, and success
fully. against their attacks. Our abiI-
ity to defend ourselves is termed mill
tarism and must, therefore, be de-
stroyed
"Terrtorial aims are. in fact, the
only things now separating the differ
ent gelligerent groups.
For the great interests of humanity
and .or the justice, freedom, honor and
peace OF the world. as set forth in the
laws of modern political conception re-
garting which we need not accept any
advice. we also ere ready to fight.
There is hardly any difference be-
tween the general principles enunciated
by the statesmen of both belligerents.
President Wilson's four new points Of
July shall not. apart from certain ex
aggera tons. arouse our opposition
ION the contrary we are able to ap-
prove them heartily to great extent.
Nobody would refuse homage to this
genius and nobody would refuse his co
operation. This. however. is not the
main poirt but 1t Is what can also le
understood in the interests Of mankind
Both groups should certainly honestly
attempt to clear this up and settle 4
by mutual agreement, but not In the
same manner as. for instance, oar
peace treaties In the east we're Judged.
The fact is that all our opponents
were invited to ioin in those peace re-
gotta tons and they could have contrib
uted their share in bringing them to
different issue. Put now. when there
is m 'eeai right which would have en-
titled them to condemn tke reace COZ
ditions which were accountable to the
contracting parties or which could not
be avoided
From the confident utterances Of
our opponents it appears they have
no fear Of being defeated. If they,
nevertheless. represent the peace trea-
ties as warning of our treatment of
a defeated enemy. We do not consider
the reproach justified.
None of the belligerent states need
ever come into the position of Russia
to enter into peace negotiations with
all our opponents.
IF our enemies continuously de-
mand atonement for wrong doing and
restitution, then this is claim which
we could urge with more justification
against them. because we have been
ttacked and the wron., done to us
must be redressed.
The enemy's obstiracy regarding
his territorial demands regarding
Alsace- Lorraine, Triest the Trentino
and the German colonies. appears to
be insurmountable. There lies the
limit Of our readiness for peace. We
are prepared to discuss everything
except our own territory.
The enemy not only wants to Gu,
from Austria Hungary what he would
like done for himself. but the inne,
structure, that of the monar archy itself
too, is to be attacked. and the mon.
archy dissolved. if possible, into com.
ponent parts.
Now that it is recognized that or
binary war methods have not suff1cee
to defeat US. interest in our interna
affairs has become supreme. Th,
Entente, however, discovered it's sym
pathy in our internal affairs 50 lat.
that many statesmen who now prat,
about the monarchy's national cues
tions as a war aim had probably n,
idea of their existence at the begin
min" of the war.
This fact can be recognized from
that amateurish and superficial man