The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1918-01-17


among the adversaries of the central
powers, no uncertainty of principle. no
vagueness of detail.
1.-THE only secrecy of counsel, the
only lack of fearless frankness, 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-
sponslbilty ought for moment to per-
NIT himself TO continue this tragical
and appalling outpOuring of blood and
treasure unless he is sure beyond a
peradventure that the objects OF the
vital sacrifice are part and parcel OF
the very life of society and that the
people for whom he speaks think them
right and imperative as he does.
There is. moreover, a voice calling
for these definitions of principle and
purpose which is, ii seems TO me, more
thrilling and more compelling than any
of the many moving voices with which
the troubled air of the world Is filed.
II Is the voice of the Russian people.
They are PROSTATE and all but helpless,
IL would seem, before the grim power
of Germany, which has hitherto known
no relenting and no pity.
Russ Power Shattered.
''Their power apparently is shat
tered, and yet their soul is not sub
servient. They will not yield either In
principle or in action. The conception
of what is right, of what 1t is humane
and honorable for them to accept, has
been stated with frankness, large
ness Of view, generosity OF spirit and
universal human sympathy which
must challenge the admiration OF
every friend of mankind; and they
refused to compound their ideals or de-
sert others that they themselves may
be safe.
''They call to US 10 say what 1t is
that we desire, In what, IL In anything,
our purpose and our spirit differ from
theirs; and / believe that the people
of the United States would wish me TO
respond with utter simplicity and
frankness.
Whether their present leaders be-
lieve IL or not, il is our heartfelt de-
sire and hope that some way may be
opened whereby we may be privileged
to assist the people of Russia to at
tain their utmost hope of liberty and
ordered peace.
No Secret Understandings.
| l,af
the processes of peace, when they are
begun, shall be absolutely open and
that they shall involve and permit
henceforth no secret understandings of
any kind. The day of conquest and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT is gone by; so is also
the day of secret covenants entered In
to In the interest of particular govern
ments and likely at some unlooked-for
moment to upset the peace of the
world.
at 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 II
possible for every nation whose pur-
poses are consistent with justice and
the peace of the world to avow now
or at any other time the objects ii 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
less they were corrected and the world
secured once for all against their re-
currence.
"What we demand in this w9r, there
fore is nothing peculiar to ourselves.
at is that the world be made f1t and
safe to live in; and particularly that
1t be made safe for every peace-lov-
ing nation which, like our own, wish
to live its own life, determine its own
institutions, be assured of justice and
fair dealing by the other peoples of the
world as against force and selfish ag-
| gression. All the peoples of the world
are I'm effect partners in this interest,
and for our own part we see very clear
ly that unless justice be done to 9TH
ers 1t will not be done to us.
1.-THE program of the worlds peace,
therefore, is our program, and that
program. the only possible program, as
we see 1t, is this:
Wants Open Covenants.
/. Open covenants of peace, openly
arrived at, after which there shall be
no private international understand
lngs of any kind. but diplomacy shall
proceed always frankly aud in the pub.
lie view.
2. 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
enforcement of international cove
nants.
g. The removal, so far as possible, Of
all economic barriers and the estab-
lishment of an equality of trade con-
ditions among all the nations consent
ing to the peace and associating them
selves for its maintenance.