The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-12
MORAL VICTORY NEW
TASK, SAYS WILSON
Tells Congress Duty NoW Is to
Guide Nations.

outhG tV@stSfeSe
WARRINGTON, Nov. lin his address
before Congress to-day the President
spoke as follows:
'Gentlemen of the Consrees--In these
times OF rapid and stupendous change
It will in some degree tighten my sense
Of responsibility to perform in person
the duty OF communicating to you some
Of the larger circumstances Of the situa-
ton with which II Is necessary TO deal.
The German authorities, who have at
the invitation of the Supreme War Coun-
ell, been in communication with Mar
shall Foch. have accepted and signed the
terms OF armistlce. which he was au-
thorized and instructed to communicate
to them
The President then read the thirty
i've terms OF the armistice which appear
elsewhere in this paper. and continued:
THE war thus comes to an end for.
having accepted these terms OF armis-
tIce, 1t will be impossible for the German
command to renew It.
TT is not now possible to assess the
consequences Of this great contamination.
We know only that this tragical war,
whose consuming flames swept from one
nation to another until all the world was
on fire, Is at an end, and that II was the
privilege Of our own people to enter 1t at
It's most critical juncture In such fashion
and in such force as to contribute In
way Of which we areall deeply proud to
the great result.
Military Caste Destroyed.
I'VE know. too. that the object OF the
war Is attained. the object upon which
all free men had set their hearts. and
attained with n sweeping completeness
which even now we do not realize.
Armed imperialism such as the men con-
ceived who were but yesterday the mas
tiers of GGermany IS at an end, its Illicit
ambitions engulfed In black disaster.
Who will now seek to revive 1t? The
arbitrary power Of the military caste OF
Germany, which once could secretly and
Of its own single choice disturb the peace
Of the world, IL discredited and destroyed.
And more than that--much more than
ehat-has been accomplished.
"The great nations which associated
themselves to destroy 1t have now def
nitely united In the common purpose to
set up such peace as will satisfy the
longing of the whole world for disinter-
ested justice, embodied in settlements
which are based upon something much
better and more lasting than the selfish
There is no longer conjecture as to the
objects the victors have in mind. They
have a mind In the matter not only, but
heart also. Their avowed and con-
certed purpose Ia to satisfy and protect
the weak as well as to accord their just
rights to the strong.
Humane Temper Proved.
'.The humane temper and intention of
the victorious governments has already
been manifested In very practical way.
Their representatives in the Supreme
War Council at Versailles have by
unanimous resolution assured the peo-
pies of the Central Empires that every
thing that Is possible In the circum-
stances will be done 10 supply them with
food and relieve the distressing want
that Is in so many places threatening
their very lives. and steps are to be
taken Immediately to organize these eff
forts at relief In the same systematic
manner that they were organized in the
case of Belgium.
"By the use of the idle tonnage OF the
Central Empires II ought presently TO be
possible to lift the fear Of utter misery
from their oppressed populations and set
their minds and energies free for the
great and hazardous tasks of political
every hand. Hunger does not breed re-
form II breeds madness and all the ugly
dIstempers that make an ordered life
impossible.
"For with the fall of the ancient Gov
ernments which rested like an incubus
on the peoples of the Central Empires
has come political change not merely
but revolution. and revolution which
beems as yet to assume no final and
ordered form, but TO run from one fluid
change to another. until thoughtful men
are forced to ask themselves. with what
Governments and OF what sort are we
about to deal in the making OF the
covenants of peace7 With what au-
thority will they meet US and with what
assurance that their authority will abide
and sustain securely the international
arrangements into which we are about
20 enter? There Is here matter for no
rznall anxiety and misgiving. When
peace is made. upon whose promises and
engagements besides our own Is It to
rest?
Early Solution Impossible.
Let US be perfectly frank with our
selves and admit that these questions
cannot be satisfactorily answered now
or at once. But the moral is not that
there Is little hope OF an early answer
that will suffice. 1t IS only that we
must be patient and helpful and mindful
above all of the great hope and con-
fdence that lie at the heart of what
Is taking place. Excuses accomplish
nothing. Unhappy Russia has furnished
abundant recent proof OF that Dis
order Immediately defeats itself. II
excesses should occur. II disorder should
for a time raise its head sober Sec
ond thought will follow and day Of
constructive action. II We help and do
not hinder
THE present and all that It holds be-
longs to the nations and the peoples who
preserve their self-control and the or
Derby processes OF their Governments :