The Washington herald., 1918-02-12
Text Of Presidents Address

world depends upon the accep-
tance of any particular set OF
suggestions as to the way in
which those problems are to be
dealt with. / mean only that
those problems each and all affect
the whole world; that unless
they are dealt with In q spirit
OF unselhsh and unbiased JUS
the natural connections, the ra-
ciaI aspirations, the security and
the peace Of mind Of the peoples
involved. no permanent peace.
will have been attained. They
cannot be discussed separately
or in corners. None OF them
constitutes a private or separate
interest from which the opinion
of the world may be shut out.
Whatever affects the peace af-
fects mankind, and nothing
settled by military force. If
settled wrong. Is settled at all.
1t will presently have to be re-
opened.
Is Count Won Hertling not aware
that he Is speaking In the, court of
mankind; that all the awakened
nations OF the world now. sit in
judgment on what every public
man. OF whatever, nation, may say
on the issues of conflict which
has spread to every region OF the
world? The Reichstag resolutions
Of July themselves frankly ac-
cepted the decisions of that court
There shall be no annexations, no
contributions, no punitive damages.
Peoples are not to be handed about
from one sovereignty to another by
an international conference or an
understanding between rivals and
antagonists. National aspirations
must be respected; peoples may
now be dominated and governed
only by their own consent. Self
determination" Is not mere
phrase. 1t is an imperative prin-
ciple of action. which statesmen
will henceforth ignore at their
peril. We cannot have general
peace for the asking. or by the
mere arrangements of peace
conference. 1t cannot be pieced to-
gether out of Individual UNDER
standings between powerful states.
All the parties to this war must
Join in the settlement of every
issue anywhere involved in Il;
because what we are seeking Is a
peace that We can all unite to
guarantee and maintain. and every
item OF 1t must be submitted to
the common judgment whether II
be right and fair. an act of jus.
tice, rather than bargain be-
tween soverelgns.
No Desire to Interfere.
The United States has no desire
to interfere in European affairs or
to act as arbiter in European terri
torial disputes. She would disdain
to take advantage of any internal
weakness or disorder to impose her
own will upon another people. She
Is quite ready to be shown that the
settlements she has suggested are
not the best or the most enduring.
They are only her own provisional
sketch of principles and of the way
in which they should be applied.
But She entered this war because
she was made a partner, whether
she would or not, in the sufrerings
and indignities inflicted by the mill
tary masters OF Germany against
the peace and security OF mankind;
and the conditions of peace will
touch her as nearly as they will
touch any other nation to which Is
intrusted a leading-part in the
maintenance OF civilization. She
cannot see her way to peace until
the causes OF this war are removed,
its renewal rendered as nearly as
may be impossible.
This war had its roots in the
disregard OF the rights of small
nations and of nationalities which
lacked the union and the force
to make good their claim to de-
termine their own allegiance and
their own forms OF political life.
Covenants must now be entered
into which will render such things
impossible for the future; and
these covenants must be backed
by the united force of all the ma
tons that love Justice and are
willing to maintain It at any cost.
II territorial settlements and the
political relations OF great pop
ulations which have not the or
ganized power to resist are to be
determined by the contracts of
the powerful governments which
consider themselves most directly
affected. as Count Won Hertling
proposes, why may not economic
questions also? It has come about
In the altered world in which we
now find ourselves that Justice
and the rights of peoples affect
the whole field of international
materials and fair and equal con-
ditions Of trade. Count Won Hert-
ling wants the essential bases of
commercial and Industrial life to
be safeguarded by common agree
ment and guarantee, but he can
not expect that to be conceded by
MIN II the other matters to be
determined by the articles of peace
are not handled in the same wev
as items in the final accounting,
He cannot ask the benefit of com
mon agreement in the one field
without according It in the other.
take 1t for granted that he sees
mat separate and selfish compacts
with regard to trade and the es-
sential materials OF manufacture
would afford no foundation for
peace. Neither, he may rest as
sured. will separate and selfish
compacts with regard to provinces
and peoples.
Sees Elements of Peace.
Count Czerin seems to see the
fundamental elements OF peace
with clear eyes and does not seek
to obscure them. He sees that an
Independent Poland. made up of all
the indisputably Polish peoples who
lie contiguous to one another, is a
matter of European concern and