The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-08

world is filled. It is the voice of the
Russian people. They are PROSTATE
and all but helpless, it would seem
before the grim power of Germany.
which has hitherto known no relent-
ing and no pity. Their power appar,
emily is shattered and yet their soul
is not subservient. They will not
yield either in principle or in action:
The conception of what is right, OF
what it is humane and honorable Tor
them to accept, has been stated with
frankness, a largeness of view,
generosity of spirit and universal hu-
man sympathy which must challenge
the admiration of every friend OF man
kind; and they have refused to COM
pound their ideals or desert others
that they themselves may be safe.
The call to us to say what it is we
desire, in what if in anything our
purpose and our spirit differ from
theirs: and 1 believe that the people
of the United States would wish me
to respond with utter simplicity ana
frankness. Whether their present
iea@ers believe it or not, it is our
heartfelt desire and hope that some
way may be opened whereby we may
be privileged to assist the people OF
Russia to attain their utmost hope
of liberty and ordered peace:
1T will be our wish and purpose
that the processes of peace, when they
are begun, shall be absolutely open,
and that they shall involve and permit
henceforth no secret understandings or
any kind.
Day of Conquest Has Gone.
The day of conquest and aggran-
dizement is gone by; so is also the day
of secret covenants entered into in the
interest of particular governments 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 1T pos
sible for every nation whose purposes
are consistent with justice and the
peace of the world to avow now or at
any other time the objects it has in
view.
1--WE entered this war because vio-
lations of right had occurred which
touched US to the quick and made the
life of our own people impossible I'M
secured once for all against their re-
currence. What we demand in this
war therefore, is nothing peculiar to
ourselves. 1t is that the world be
made fit and safe to live in and par
ticularly that it be made safe for
every peace-loving nation which like
our own, wishes to live its own life,
determine its own institutions, be as
sured of justice and fair dealings by
the other peoples of the world as
Z
All the peoples of the world are in eff
feet partners in this interest and for
our own part we see very clearly that
unless justice be done to others, it
will not be done to us.
|. Peace Program-Our Program.
THE program of the worlds peace
therefore, is our program, and that
program was the only possible pro-
gram as we see it 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 for the
public view.
Absolute freedom of navigation
upon the seas, outside territorial wa
| tiers, alike in peace and in war, except
as the seas may be closed in whole or
| in part by international action for the
| endorsements of international cove
nants.
3-The removal. so far as possible,
| of all economic barriers and the eS-
conditions among all the nations con-
senting to the peace and associating
| themselves for its maintenance.
| adequate guarantees given and
! taken that national ornaments will be
reduced to the lowest point consistent
with domestic safety
5-A free, open minded and abSo-
/ lutely impartial adjustment of all CO.
lonial claims, based upon a strict OBJ
servance of the principle that in de-
termining all such questions of SOW
ereignty the interests of the popula-
tions concerned must have equal
weight with the equitable claims of
the government whose title is to be
determined
Evacuation of Russian Territory.
6-The evacuation of all Russian
territory and such settlement of all
questions affecting Russia as will Sc
cure the best and freest cooperation
of the other nations of the world in
obtaining for her an unhampered and
unembarrassed opportunity for indie
pendent determination of her own
political development and national
| policy and assure her of a sincere well
come into the society of free nations,
under institutions of her own choos-
| ing; and more than a welcome, assis-
lance of every kind that she may need
and may herself desire. The treat
| ment accorded Russia by her sister ma
| lions in the months to come will be the
acid test of their good will, of their
| tinguished from their own interests
and of their Intelligent and unselfish
sympathy.
belgium, the whole world will
agree, must be evacuated and restored.
without any attempt to limit the
sovereignty which she enjoys in COM
mon with all other free nations. No
| other single act will serve as this will
| serve to restore confidence among the
nations in the laws which they have
themselves set and determined for the
| government of their relations with
| one another. without this healing act
the whole structure and validity of in
ternational law is forever impaired.
| S-AlI French territory should be
| freed and the invaded portions re-
stored, and the wrong done to France
by Prussia in 1871 in the matter of
Alsace-Lorrange which has unsettled
the peace of the world for nearly fifty
years should be righted, in order that
| peace once more be made secure in