Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-01-15
PRESIDENTS PEACE Terms
Remarkably Clear Statement Of Var
Aims.
The WORLD MUST Be MADE FREE.

Not Only Must Belgium Be Evaeuat
ed but She Must Be Restored-Ger-
many Shall Not Dominate Russia
The Seas Must be Free and Abso-
lutism Must be Abolished.
Following Is the full text OF the ad-
dress that President Wilson delivered
to congress last Tuesday in stating
the war aims of the United States Of
America:
Gentlemen of the congress: Once
more. as repeatedly before, the spokes-
men OF the central empires have indi-
Gated 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 representatives and represen-
tatives Of the central powers. to which
the attention of all the belligerents
has been invited for the purpose Of as
certaining whether At may be possible
to extend these parleys into 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 he
willing to conclude peace. but also an
equally definite program OF the con-
crete application Of those principles.
Tho representatives Of the central
powers. on their part. presented an
outline Of settlement. which, II much
less definite. seemed susceptible Of lib
eral Interpretation until their specific
programs OF practical terms was add
ed. That program proposed no con-
ccssions NJ all either to the sovereign
ty of Russia or to the preferences OF
the populations with whose fortunes
II dealt. but meant, in word. that the
central empires were TO keep every
foot of territory their armed forces
had occupied--every province. every
city. every point Of vantage-as a per-
manent addition to their terrific
ries and their power. 1t Is a reasona-
bic conjecture that the general princi-
pies OF settlement which they at first
suggested originated with the more
liberal statesmen of Germany and Aus
tria, the men who have begun to feel
the force of their owh 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 broken of. The
Russian representatives were sincere
and in earnest. They cannot entertain
such proposals Of conquest and domi-
nation.
Situation Significant and Perplexing.
The whole incident is full of signifi-
canee: It Is also full Of perpleEity:
with whom are the Russianl Bpresen-
tatives dealing? For whom are the
representatives Of the central empires
speaking? Arc they speaking for the
majorities of their respective parlia-
ments or for the 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 insisted. very justly, very wisely,
and In the true spirit Of modern dem
ocracy. 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 lis
tening. then? To those who speak the
spirit and intention of the resolutions
of the German reichstag Of the 9Th of
July last, the spirit and intention OF
the liberal leaders and parties Of Ger
many. or to those who resist and defy
that spirit and intention and insist up
on conquest and subjugation? Or are
we listening, in fact, to both, unrecon-
ciled and in open and hostile contra
diction? These are very serious and
pregnant questions. Upon the answer
to them depends the peace Of the
world.
Teuton Challenge Accepted.
But, whatever the results Of the par
leys for the Brest-Litovsk, whatever
the confusions Of counsel and Of pur-
pose in the utterances of the spokes-
men Of the central empires, they have
again attempted to acquaint the world
with their objects in the war and have
again challenged their adversaries 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 can
dor. 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 1t 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 ad-
miral spirit for the people and gov
ernment of Great Britain. There Is
no confusion Of counsel among the ad-
versaries Of the Central powers, no
uncertainty of principle. no vagueness
OF detail. The only secrecy Of counsel.
the only failure to make definite
statement of the objects of the war.
lies with Germany and her allies.
The issues Of life and death hang
upon these definitions. No statesman
who has the least conception Of his re-
sponsibility ought for a moment to
permit himself to continue this tragi-
cal and appalling outpouring Of blood
and treasure unless he is sure beyond
a pevadenture that the objects of the
vital sacrifice are part and parcel Of
the very life Of society and that the
-11-la "a xuhov, ha anoo1a fhfnk