Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1918-01-11
PRESIDENT WILSON NAMES AMERICAS
WAR AIMS AND TERMS OF PEACE

candor and In admirable spirit Tor
the people and government Of Great
Britain. There Is no confusion OF cOun-
sci among the adversaries Of the cen-
trial powers, no uncertainty of prin-
ciple. no vagueness of detail. The Only
secrecy of council. 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 states.
man who has the least conception OF
his responsibility ought for n moment
to permit himself to continue this
tragical and appalling ontpOuring of
blood and treasure unless he Is sure
beyond n peradventure that the objects
OF the vital sacrifice are part and par
eel of the very life of society and that
the people for whom he speaks think
them right and Imperative as he does.
Voice OF Russian People Calling.
There Is, moreover, a voice calling
for these definitions Of principle anu
of purpose, which Is. II seems to me
more thrilling and more compelling
than any OF the many moving voices
with which the troubled air of the
world is filled. 1t Is the voice OF the
Russian people. They are prostitute
and all but helpless, II would seem. be-
fore the grim power Of Germany, which
has hitherto known no relenting and
no pity.
Their power. apparently, IN shat
tered. And yet their soul Is not sub
servient. They will not yield either In
principle or In action. Their concep-
ton Of what is right. Of what is hui
name and honorable for them 20 ac-
cept, has been stated with frank
ness, largeness of view, a generosity
of spirit and Il universal human sym
pathy which must challenge the adj
miration of every friend OF mankind,
and they have refused. To compound
their ideals or desert others that they
themselves Inay be safe. They call
on us TO say what Ii is that we desire
! I'm what, III anything, our purpose and
our spirit differ from theirs.
Hope to Assist Russia.
And believe that the people Of
respond with utter simplicity ami
| frankness. Whether their present
leaders believe It or MOI, II Is our
! heartfelt desire that some way may he
opened whereby we may be privileged
to assist the people of Russia to attain
their utmost hope of liberty and peace
Ii will he our wish and purpose that
the processes Of peace, when they ara
begun, shall be absolutely open and
that they shall involve and i,erinit
henceforth no secret understandings o.
any kind. the day of conquest and
ACKNOWLEDGMENT ~ gone by; no IL also
the day of secret covenants entered
into In the interest of particular gov
ernments and likely at some unlocked
for moment to upset the peace of the
world. 1t Is this happy fact now clear
to the view of every public man whose
thoughts do not still lInger In an age
that Is dead and gone which makes II
possible for every nation whose pur-
poses are consistent with justice anil
the peace of the world to avow now
or at any other time the objects IL
has In view.
| Why We Entered War.
I'VE entered this war because vlo-
iations of right had occurred which,
touched us to the quick and made the
life OF our own people impossible un-
less they were corrected and the world
secured once for all against their re-
currence. What we demand in this
war, therefore. is nothing peculiar 10
/ ourselves. II Is that the world be
made fit and safe TO live in; and par.
tfcularly that Il be made safe for every
peace-loving nation which. like our
own, wishes to live its own life. de-
terinine its own institutions. be rs
sured of justice and fair dealing by the
other peoples Of the world as against
force and selfish aggression. All the
peoples Of the world are IN effect part
ners In this interest, and for our own
part we see very clearly thaf unless
Justice be done to others. II win not
be done to Ms.
World Peace Program.
'-The program of the worlds peace.
therefore, is our program; and that
program. the only possible program. as
we see 1t. Is this:
!. Open covenants of peace. openly
arrived at after which there shall be
no private international understand
ings of any kind. but diplomacy shall
proceed always frankly and Ia the pub
lie view.
?. Absolute freedom Of navigation
upon the seas, outside territorial
waters. alike IN peace aud In var. ex-
cent as the seas may be closed IN whole
or In part by international action Tor
the enforcement Of international cove
nants.
;. The removal. 80 FAR rs possible.
Of all economic barriers and tie cstah-
ishrnent Of an equality ~ trade ron
ditions among all the nations consent
ing TO the peace and associatlng