The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-01-09
WILSON AGAIN
OUTLINES AIMS
Presents Definite Program For
World Peace, In Speech In
Congress In Reply TO
Czernin Offer.
Text Message

Washington. d. c., Jan. 9.-Presi-
dent Wilson, addressing congress, has
just delivered a restatement of
Americas war aims.
A definite program for world
peace, containing fourteen specific
considerations, was presented.
The Presidents address in practi-
cally every instance was In agree
ment with the recent declaration of
Premier Lloyd George Of Great Brit.
ain.
Distribution to ell parts OF the
world of President Wilson's address
by cable and wireless has been ar
ranged for by the committee on pub
lie information. Tie sending began
In New York at the press censor's
Office as DON as word was received
from Washington that the president
had begun to speak.
The President spoke as follows:
Gentlemen Of Congress:
Once more. as repeatedly before,
the spokesman of the Central EN-.
pires have indicated their desire
to discuss the objects of the wal and
the possible bases of a general
peace. Parleys have been In prog
ress at BrestLitovsk between Rus.
sian representatives and representa-
tives of the Central Powers to which
the attention OF all the belligerents
have been invited for the purpose of
ascertaining whether II may be pos
sible to extend these parleys into q
general conference with regard to
terms Of peace and settlement. Tie
Russian representatives presented not
only q perfectly definite statement OF
principles upon which they would be
willing to conclude peace, but also
an equally definite program OF the
concrete application Of those prin.
ciples. The representatives OF the
Central Powers on their part pre-.
scented an outline OF settlement
which. II much less definite, seemed
susceptible of liberal Interpretation
until their specific program OF prac.
tical terms was added.
Proposed No Concessions.
That program proposed no conces.
eions at all either to the sovereign
~ OF Russia or to the preferences
'of the population with whose for
tunes In dealt but meant, In q word,
that the Central Empires were to
keep every foot of territory their
armed forces had occupied every
province, every city, every point oil
vantage, as q permanent addition e
their territories and their power. II
- q reasonable conjecture that the
general principles of settlcmen,
which they have at first suggested
originated with the o liberal
statesmen Of Germany and Austria
the men who have begun to feel tie
force OF their own peoples thought
and purpose while the concrete
terms OF actual settlement came
from the military leaders who have
no thought but to keep what they
have got Tie negotiations have
been l.roken on. The Russian repre-
sseatatives were sincere and In earn
est. They cannot entertain such pro
posals OF conquest and domination.
Uphoids Russlans.
The whole incident Il full OF signiil
canoe. II - also full OF perplexity
With whom are the Russian repre-.
~sentatives dealing? For whom arr
the representatives Of the Central
Empires speakingf Are they speak
ing for the majorities OF their re
lspective parliaments or for the min,
GRITTY parties, that military and i'm
Dcrialistic minority which has 30 faI
dominated their whole policy and
controlled the affairs Of Turkey and
Of the Balkan states which have
felt obliged to become their asso
ciates In this war? The Russian rep
resentatiyes have insisted, very just
Az. very wisely. and In the true spirit
,cf democracy that the conferences
they have been holding with the
ETeutonic and Turkish statesmen
should be held within open. not closed
doors. and all the world has beer
audience a. was desired. Tt
whom have we been listening then.
70 those who speak the spirit and in
tention OF the resolutions OF the Ger
man redchstag Of the 9Th OF JULY
A&eSS tAO ORxA3t anu 1ntpuJkOn Vi incl
liberal leaders and parties Of Ger
many, or to those who persist ant
defy that spirit and intention and in
sist upon conquest and subjugation
Or are we listening in fact to boil
unreconciled and In open and hope
less contradiction? These are yer,
serious and pregnant questions. Upol
the answer TO them depends the peact
Of the world.
Premlerss Talk Praised.
But whatever the result Of the par
leys 1T Brest Ldtovsk, whatever III,
confusions Of counsel and purpose o
the ~utterances Of the spokesman Of tn
Central Empires. they have again 81
tempted to acquaint the world wit
their objects "a the war and hav
again challenged their adversaries I
say Whit their objects are and wha
sort o. settlement they would deer
Just M satisfactory. There ID n