The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1918-02-15

Washington, Feb. 12.-President
Wilson, in another address to congress
on the question of possible peace by
negotiation, vigorously attacked Ger
many's attitude toward peace as
voiced by Chancellor Won Hertling,
characteriZing Austria'S attitude as
voiced by Count Czernin as uttered in
friendly tone" and concluded by say
ing that this nation would never lay
down its arms until peace could be es-
tablished with justice to all nations,
large and small alike.
Text of Wilson's Address.
The presidents address in part, fol-
lows:
Gentlemen of the congress:
con January l had the honor OF
addressing you on the objects Of the
war as our people conceive them.
The prime minister of Great Britain
had spoken in similar terms on Janu-
airy ). To these addresses the German
chancellor replied on the Oath and
Count CZernin for Austria on the same
day. 1t is gratifying to have our de-
sire so promptly realized that all eX~
changes of view on this great matter
should be made in the hearing of all
the world
Count Czernin's reply, which is di-
rected chiefly to my own address on
January s. is uttered in very friend
Iy tone.
Sees Basis for Discussion.
'FHe finds in my statement q Sufti-
cient encouraging approach to the
views of his own government to JUS
tify him in believing that it furnishes
a basis for more detailed discussion OF
purposes by the two governments.
Count Won Hertlings reply is,
must say very vague and very con-
fusing. 1t is full of equivOcal phrases
and leads, it it not clear where. But
it is certainly in a very different tone
from that of Count Czernin and appar-
emily of an opposite purpose. 1t con-
firms, I am sorry to say, rather than
removes, the unfortunate impression
made by what we had learned of the
conferences at Brest-Litovsk. His dis
cussion and acceptance of our general
principles lead him to no practical con-
cluSiOn.
Foe for Barter and Concession.
'In the determination of all queS-
tons affecting the Balkan states he de-
ferS as / understand him to Austria
and Turkey; and with regard to the
agreements to be entered into con-
corning the nOn-TurkiSh peoples of the
present Ottoman empire to the Turk
ish authorities themselves. After a
settlement all around, effected in this
fashion. by individual barter and con-
cessiOn, he would have no objection, if
[ correctly interpret his statement, to
a league of nations which would I'M
dertake to hold the new balance of
power steady against external dis
turbanceS.
"The method the German chancel-
Tor proposes is the method of the con-
igress of Vienna. We cannot and will
not return to that. What is at stake
now is the peace of the world What
we are striving for is a new interna-
tiOnal order based upon broad and uni
versal principles of right and justice
no more peace of ShredS and patches.
The peace of the world depends upon
the Just settlement of each of the sew
eral problems to which l adverted in
my recent address to the congress.
"They cannot be discussed separate
" or in corners.
Refers to Reichstag Resolutions.
as Count Won Hertling not aware
that he is speaking in the court Of
mankind, that all the awakened ma
tons of the world now sit in judgment
on what every public man of whatever
nation may say on the issues of con-
f1ict which has spread to every re-
giOn of the world? The reichstag res
buttons of July themselves frankly ac-
cepted the decisions of that court.
There shall be no anneXatiOns, no con-
tributiOnS, no punitive damages. Peo-
pies are not to be handed about from
one sovereignty to another by an inter-
national conference or an understand
ing between rivals and antagonists. Ma
tfOnal aspirations must be respected,
peoples may now be dominated and
governed only by their own consent.
"Self- determination" Imperative.
'Self-determination' is not a mere
phrase, it is an Imperative principle of
action, which statesmen will hence
forth ignore at their peril. All the par
ties to this war must join in the settle
ment of every issue anywhere involved
in it, because what we are seeking is a
peace that we can all unite to guaran-
tee and maintain and every item of it
must be submitted to the common judg-
ment whether it be right or fair, an act
of justice rather than a bargain be-
tween sovereigns.
"The United States has no desire to
interfere in European affairs or to act
as arbiter in European territorial dis
putes.
"But she entered this war because
she was made partner, whether she