The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-01-11

CONTINUED From Page One.)
peace. Parleys have been in prog
ress at Brest-Litovsk between Rus
sian representatives and represents
tives of the Central Powers to which
the attention of all the belligerents
have been invited for the purpose of
ascertaining whether it may be pos
sible to extend these parleys into a
general conference with regard to
terms of peace and settlement. Tie
Russian representatives presented not
only a 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, if much less definite, seemed
susceptible of liberal Interpretation
until their specific program of prac.
teal terms was added. 80
Proposed No Concessions.
That program proposed no conces.
sions' at all either to the sovereign
ty of Russia or to the preferences
of the population with whose for
tunes in dealt but meant, in a word,
t.iat the Central Empires were to
keep every foot of territory their
armed forces had occupied every
province, every city, every point of
vantage, as g permanent addition to
their territories and their power 1t
is a reasonable conjecture that the
general principles of settlement
which they have at first suggested
originated with the more 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. The negotiations have
been Lroken off. The Russian repre-.
sentatives we're sincere and in earn
est. They cannot entertain such pro.
posals of conquest and domination.
OpnoidS Russians.
The whole incident is full of signi.;.
canoe. 1t is also full of perplexity,
With. whom are the Russian repre-.
sentatives dealing? For whom are
the representatives of the Central
Empires speaking? Are they speak.
ing for the majorities of their re.
spective parliaments or for the min.
ority parties, that military and i'm.
perialistic minority which has so far
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.
resentatives have insisted, very just.
ly, very wisely, and in the true spirit
of democracy that the conferences
they have been holding with the
Teutonic and Turkish statesmen
should be held within open, not closed
doors, and all the world has been
audience as was desired. TIC
whom have we been listening then ?
To those who speak the spirit and in.
tention of the resolutions of the Ger,
man reichstag of the 9th of July
last, the spirit and intention of their
liberal leaders and parties of Ger.
many, or to those who persist and
defy that spirit and intention and in.
sist upon conquest and subjugation
Or are we listening in fact to both
unreconciled and in open and hope.
less contradiction? These are very
serious and pregnant questions. Upon
the answer to them depends the peace
of the world
.Premier,s Talk Praised.
But whatever the result of the par.
Ileys at Brest Litovsk, whatever the
Commissions of counsel and purpose OF
the utterances of the spokesman of the
Central Empires, they have again at
tempted to acquaint the world with
their objects in the war and have
again challenged their aaversaries to
say what their objects are and what
sort of settlement they would deem
just and satisfactory. There is no
good reason why that challenge should
not be responded to with the utmost
candor. We did not wait for it. Not
once, but again and again we have laid
our whole thought and purpose before
the world. Not in general terms only,
but each time with sufficient definition
to make it clear what sort of definite
terms of settlement must necessarily
spring out of Them Within the last
week Mr.. Lloyd George has spoken
with admirable candor and in admir-
able spirit for the people and govern
ment of Great Britain. There is no
confusion of counsel among the adver-
saries of the Central Powers, no un-
certainty of principals, no vagueness
Of detail. The only secrecy of counsel,
the only lack of fearless frankness, the
only failure to make definite statement
Of the object of the war, lies with Ger
many and her allies. The issues of
life and death hang upon these defini-
lions. No statesman who has the least
conception of his responsibility ought
for moment to permit himself to
continue this tragical and appalling
outpouring of blood and treasure un-
less he is sure beyond peradventure
that the objects Of the vital sacrifice
are part and parcel of the very life
Of society and that the people for
whom he speaks think them right and
imperative as he does.
Definitions Called For.
There is. moreover, a voice calling