The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-01-08

ut also an equally definite progral
+ the concrete application OF tho,
principles. The representatives {
he central powers, on their part, pre-
ented an outline of settlement whicI
: much less definite, seen.eu susceE
ibIe Of liberal Interpretation unit
heir specific program Of practics
erms was added.
INTENDED TO KEEP ALL.
That program proposed no con-
cessions at all, either to soVer-
eighty Of Russia or to the prefer
ences Of the population with
whose fortunes it dealt, but meant,
in word, that the central empires
were to keep every foot Of terri
tory their armed forces had oecu-
pied--every province, every city,
every point Of vantaee-as a per-
manent addition to their territories
and their power.
"It is a reasonable conjecture
that the general principles of set
tlement which they at first sug.
gested, originated with the more
liberal statesmen of Germany and
Austria, the nm who have begun
to feel the force Of their own peo-
pies thought and purpose, while
the concrete terms of actual set
Element came from the military
leaders who have no thought but
to keep what they have got. The
negotiations have been broken off.
The Russian representatives were
sincere and in earnest. They can
not entertain such proposals of
conquest and domination.
INCIDENT PERPLExiNG.
"The whole incident is full Of
sianificancs. Il j. also fultsof per.
pisxst, Avith whon are the 'Rus-
sian representatives. .deaiing? For
whom are the representatives of
the central empires speaking? Are
they speaking for the majorities Of
their respective parIaments or for
the minority parties, that military
and imperialistie 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 associates in this war? The
Russian representatives have in
sisted, very justly, very wisely,
and in the true spirit of modern
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. To
whom have we been listening,
then7 To those who speak the
spirit and intention of the resolu-
lions of the German reichstag of
the 9th of July, last, the spirit and
intention Of the liberal leaders and
parties of Germany, or to those
Who resist and defy that spirit and
Intention and insist upon conquest
and subjugation? Or are we list
,ning, in fact, to both, unrecon-
sled and in open and hopeless
contradiction? These are very Sc
'ious and pregnant questions.
=NTRAL POWERS NOT FRANK.
"But whatever the results of the
,arIeys at Brest -Litovsk, whatever
he confusions Of counsel and of
purpose in the utteranoes of the
,pokesmen of the central en-
,ires, they have again attempted
o acquaint the world with their
'bjects in the war and have again
haIlenged their adversaries to say
What their objects are and what
ort of settlement they would
Ieem just and satisfactory. There
S no good reason why that chal-
enge should not be responded to,
md responded to with the utmost
andor. We did not wait for it.
lot once, but again and again, we
ave. laid our whole thought and
urpose before the world, not in
eneraI terms only, but each time
With sufficient definition to make
clear what sort of defini.ive
erms of settlement must neces-
arily spring out of them. With
n the last week Mr.. Lloyd George
as spoken with admirable candor
nd in admirable spirit for the
eopIe and government of Great
'ritain. There is no confusion Of
ounsel among the sdversaries Of
he central pc :ers; no uncertain
y OF principle, no vaoueness Of
etail. The only secrecy of eoun-
el, the only lack of fearless
rankness, the only failure to make
ehnite statement for the objects
the war, lies with Germany and
er allies. Tire issues Of life and
cath hang upon these definitions.
10 statesmen, who mas the least
oneeption Of his responsibility
ught for a moment to permit
imself to continue this ragieal
nd appalling outpouring Of blood
nd treasure unless he is sure, be-
'nd a peradventu-- that tSe OBJ
cts of the vital sacrifice are mart