The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1918-01-17
In Message to Congress President Pre-
sents Definite Peace Program of
the United States
FOURTEEN CONSIDERATIONS DEMANDED
American People Ready to Give Their Strength
and Highest Purpose In Final War
for Human Liberty, Declares
President Wilson

have begun to feel the force of their
own peoples thought and purpose,
while the concrete terms Of actual set
tlement came from the military lead.
ers who have no thought but to keep
what they have got. The negotiations
have been broken off. The Russian
representatives were sincere and in
earnest. They can not entertain such
proposals of conquest and domina.
tion.
"The whole incident is full Of sig.
nificance. 1t is also full Of perplexity.
With whom are the Russian repre-
sentatives dealing? For whom are
the representatives Of the Central
empires speaking? Are they speak
ing for the majorities Of their re-
spective psrliaments or for the mi
nority parties, that military and i'm
perialistic 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 representa-
tives have insisted, very justly, very
wisely, and in the true spirit Of mod
ern democracy, that the conferences
they have been holding with the Teu-
tonic and Turkish statesmen should
be held within open, not closed doors,
and all the world has been audience,
as was desired.
ITO whom have we been listening,
then? To those who speak the spirit
and intention of the resolutions of
the German Reichstag Of the ninth
Of July, last, the spirit and intention
OF the liberal leaders and parties of
Germany, or to those who resist and
defy that spirit and intention and
insist upon conquest and subjuga-
tion? Or are we listening, in fact, to
both, unreconciled and in open and
hopeless contradiction? These are
very serious and pregnant questions
Upon the answer to them depends the
peace of the world.
But whatever the results of the
parleys at Brest-Litovsk, whatever
the confusions Of counsel and of pur-
pose in the utterances of the spokes-
men of the Central Powers, they have
again attempted to acquaint the
world with their objects in the war
and have again challenged their ad-
versaries 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,
and 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 it clear what sort of defnitive
terms of settlement must necessarily
spring out Of them. -.
"The moral climax of this, the cul.
minating and final war for human lib
erty has come" said the President in
ending his address, "and they (peo-
pie Of the United States), are ready
to put their own strength, their own
highest purpose, their own integrity
and devotion to the test"
within the last week Mr.. Lloyd
George has spoken with admirable
candor and in admirable spirit for
the people and government of Great
Britain. There is no confusion of
counsel among the adversaries of
the Central Powers, no uncertainty of
principle, no vagueness Of detail
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 Ger.
many 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 moment to
permit himself to continue this trag.
ical 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 call.
ing for these definitions of principle
and of purpose which is, it seems to
me, more thrilling and more ccmpell.
ing than any of the many moving
voices with which the troubled air OF
the world is filled. 1t is the voice OF
the Russian people. They are pros
trate and all but helpless, it would
seem, before the grim power Of Ger
many, which has hitherto known no
relenting and no pity. Their power,
apparently, is shattered. And yet
their soul is not subservient. They
will not yield either in principle or in
action. Their conception of what is
right, of what It is humane and honor
/ Made ala Profits