Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-01-10

been broken off. Yet it is felt in off,
cial circles here that, alarmed at the
irritating effect upon their own people
of the sudden withdrawal of the longed-
for peace with their eastern neighbor from
whom they had confidently expected to
draw vast supplies of food and raw ma
terial with which to relieve their suffer-
ings, the Germans will make a supreme
eHort to entice the Russians to resume
the conferences by abating their first
extreme demands or by presenting them
IN fresh and specious language calculated
TO cover their real meaning.
ADDRESS A REPLY TO TROTsKY.
Another reason for to-day's address Is
round in the necessity of making some re-
ply to the request Of Leon Trotsky, the
bolsheviki foreign minister, that America
ana the entente allies join in the peace
conferences, Germany having made 1t a
condition of any peace agreement that
Russia should bring her co-bellgerents
into the negotiations Not having recog-
nized the Bolshevki regime as the Rus
sian government the only feasible way of
communication with 1t appeared to be
through public eunnciation of American
war aims. following the example Of Lloyd
George 1t will be necessary to the sue
cess Of this purpose that circulation of
President Wilson's address shall be effect
ed in Russia, to which end the full text
OF the speech was sent by cable and wire
less to all the principal capitals Of the
world for Geographic distribution.
MAY HELP GERMAN SOCIALISTS.
Probably, in spite of the drastic German
censorship rules. designed to keep the
German people in ignorance Of the truth.
. the substance Of the address also will leak
across the German frontiers from neutral
neighboring states and thus strengthen
the hands of the German Socialist party
in its struggle with the Pan-Germans and
the military party.
There are limitations though no official
admission. that President Wilson and the
British premier, spoke with a full under
| standing as to what was to be said and
that the President who said to-day there
is no confusion of counsel among the adj
versaries of the central powers made his
| address supplementary to that of the Brit
ish premier.
Lloyd Georges speech was prepared be-
fore the abrupt termination Of the Brest-
Litovsk negotiations, and he took a rather
| hopeless view Of Russia's future, declar-
| ing that 'if Russia acts independently,
we cannot help the catastrophe"
| President Wilson Is much more opti-
| mistlc and hopeful Of the awakening of
the Russians to the dangers of the pit
fall which Germany has dug for them.
DIFFERS FROM OTHER SPEECHES.
Some slight differences in the state
| ment Of the aims Of Germany's enemies
to-day as compared with preceding utter
| ances Of President Wilson and even of
the recent declarations of Lloyd George
are noticed, but 1t is stated that these
| are unimportant and not designed in any
| way to affect or awaken the general prin-
| ciples laid down as the basis for any
peace that might be considered. One in
stance is the use of the term Evacuation
and restoration" by President Wilson
in regard to Belgium instead of "restora-
alton and reparation" This "restora-
| tion," the President is said to hold, must
be at the expense of Germany and not
of all of the warning states as proposed
by the Russians, SO the difference in
phrasing is not regarded as substantial.
| The third article in the Presidents pro-
gram. declaring against economic war
! fare, is regarded here as in line with
the better-reasoned conclusions of the
entente ministries at present, though or
its face 1t is in conflict with the declara-
tons of the Paris conference
The demand for the reimbursement OF
Italy's frontiers along national lines IL
expected to be welcomed by the Italians
as full recognition of their italia
Irredenda" aspirations. something hereto
fore not forthcoming from America.
In his article providing for an indie
pendent Polish state, the President Is sale
to mean that freedom shall be given no
only to Russian Poland, but to the Pole.
In Austria and Germany. 1t also is stated
that the demand for free and secur,
access to the sea" for the new Polish stat,
does not mean that Poland should extend
her sovereignty over eastern Prussia t.
the North sea. but simply that she SHOULD
be given the right to free communication
with North sea ports a privilege simila
to that enjoyed by Germany In traversinl
Hollands territorial waters at the moutl
of the Scheldt.
CThe full text Of President Wilson,
address to Congress will be found OF
, page 1O.)