Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1918-01-18
DEFINITE TERMS ENUMERATED
BY WHICH ENEMY CAN END
GREAT WORLD STRUGGLE.
US. WlLLFIGHTFOR THEM ALL
President Wilson Takes Capital and
Congress by Complete Surprise
When He Calls Joint Session
and Delivers Peace Message.

will continue the struggle until these
are achieved.
1t was the compelling voice Of
the Russian people asking a defini-
ton of Americas principles and pur.
pose that prompted the president to
go before congress. Ii was largely to
Russia that his speech was directed.
The presidents message follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress,
once mere. as repeatedly before, the
spokesman Of the central empires have
indicated their desire TO discuss the OBJ
Jects of the war and the possible basis
Of a general peace.
Parleys have been in progress AT Brest
Litovsk between Russian representa-
tives and representatives Of the central
powers to which the attention of all the
belligerents have been invited for the
purpose of ascertaining whether it may
be possible to extend the parleys into
a general conference with regard to
terms of peace and settlement. The
Russian representatives presented not
only a perfectly definite statement OF
the principles upon which they would
be willing to conclude peace, but also
an equally definite program of the con-
crete application of those principles. The
representatives of the central powers, on
their part, presented an outline of set
Element, which, If much less definite.
seemed susceptible OF liberal interpreted /
ton urtil their specific program of prac-
teal terms was added.
No Concessions at All.
That program proposed no concessions
at all, either to the sovereignty Of Rus
STA or to the reference of the popula-
tons with whose fortunes 1t dealt. but
meant, in a word, that the central en-
pires were to keep every foot of terri.
tory their armed forces had occupied
every province, every city. every point
of Vantage-as a permanent addition IL
their territories and their power. 1t Is
Il reasonable conjecture that the gen
eral principles of settlement which they
at first suggested originated with the
more liberal statesmen OF Germany and
Austria, the men who have begun to fee
the force of their own peoples thought
and purpose, while the concrete terms of
actual settlement came from the mill
tary leaders who have no thought but
to keep what they nave got. The ne
kotiations have been broken of. Int
Russian representatives were sincere
and in earnest. They cannot entertain
such proposals of conquest and domin-
alton.
The whole incident is fun Of signifi,
canoe. 1t is also full of perpleXity. witt
whom are the Russian representative,
dealing? For whom are the representa-
tiVeS of the central empires speaking'
'hiS N'A'f flNiNliiH ~ Al' ilNl'l NV WI
their respective parliamcnts or for the
minority parties, that military and i'm
periaiistic minority party which has =.
far designated their whole policy anC
controlled the affairs of Turkey and o.
the Balkan states, which have fcl'
obliged to become their associates il
this war?
The Russian representatives have in.
sisted, very justly, very wisely, and ii
the true spirit Of modern democracy
holding with the Tcutonic and Turkisl
statesmen should be held with open. not
closed, doors, and with the whole worlc
as an audience was desired.
To whom have we been listening
those who speak the spirit and inten.
ton Of the resolutions of the German
reichstag of the 9Th of July, last, tn,
spirit and intention Of the liberal lead.
erS and parties of Germany, or to thus,
who resist and defy that spirit and in.
%tention, and insist upon conquest ant
subjugatiOn? Or are we listening, II
TACT, to both, unreConCiled and In opoI
and hopeless contradiction? These ar,
very serious and pregnant uestions. Upuf
the answer to them depends the pcac,
Of the world.
But, whatever the results Of tho par.
leys at BreSt Litovsk, whatever the con,
fusions of counsel and of purpose in IN,
utteranCes of the spokesman of the cen
trail empires. thew have again attcmptct
TO acquaint the world with their object,
IN the war, and have again challenge
their adversaries to say what sort of set
Element they would deem Just and salts
factory, There is no good reason win
that challenge should not be ]responde,
to, and responded to with the utmos
candor. We did not wait for It.
Have Told Purposes.
Not once, but again and again, hay,
We laid our whole thought and purposl
before the world, not in general term.
only, but each time with sufficient def
milton to make it clear what sort o
definitivc terms of settlement must nee
cssarily spring out Of them. Within N,
last week Mi. Lloyd George has spUka !
with admirable candor, and in admiru
BILE spirit, for the people and govern
ment Of Great Britain. There is no con
fusion OF counsel among the adyersaric
Of the central powers, no uncertainty o
principle. no vagueness Of detail. Tn,
only secrecy of counsel, the only lacI
Of fearless ~frankness, the only failur,
to make definite statements Of the OBJ
iects Of the war lies with Germany an,
her allies. The issues Of life and dealt
hang upon these definitions
No statesman who has the least con
ccptinn Of his responsibility ought for
moment to permit himself to cOntinu
this tragiCal n appalling ]outpouring O
blood and treasure, unless he Is sure be
yond a ~peradventure that the objects @
lllt Nllb4 SAT- ~ hat HtlN anu Ill'fl %
the very life Of society, and that the peo
pie for wn9m he speaks think them RICH
and imperative, as he does.
Call for Definitions.
There Is, moreover, a voice calling f.
these definitions Of principle and Of pur
pose, which, it seems to me. are NOR
thrilling and compelling than any of Ii
many moving voices with which tn
troubled air of the world is filled. 1t /
the voice Of the Russian people. The
are PROSTATE, and all Dut helpless,
would seem before the grim power q
Germany, which has hitherto known y
feienting and no pity. Their power. an
parently, is shattered. And yet tho
soul is not subseryient. They VIII no
yield, either i'm principle or in action.
Went Desert Ideals.
Their conception Of what is right, q
what II is humane ard honorable q
them to accept, had been stated with
frarkness, q largentss Of view, "a gen
crosby Of spirit, ana a universal ium&
sympathy, which must challenge the a0
miration Of every friegd of mankind. an
they have refused to COMPOUND thei
ideals or desert others that the them
selves may be safe, They eau ~ us I
say what IL is that We desire, "a what
II anything, our purpose and cor spir.
differ from theirs; and I believe TIA
the people Of the United States wouI
wish me to respond, with utter simple
itv and frankness. Whether thois pres
ent leaders believe It or not, II & OH
heartfelt desire and hope that some wa
privileged 70 assist the peorlN qf Rus
STA to attain their utmost hroe Or lib
erty and ordered peace.
II will he our Wiph and uss--,crp tha