Grainger County news. (Rutledge, Tenn.) 1917-current, 1918-01-24

wish to see sateguarded and assu.eh.
should be accorded the treest opportu.
nifty OF autonomous development.
"XI Rumanla, Serbia and Montene.
gro should be evacuated; occupied ter.
ritories restored; Serbia accorded free
and secure access to the sea; and the
relations of the several Balkan States
to one another determined by friendly
counsel among historically established
lines of allegiance and nationality;
and international guarantees of the
political and economic independence
and territorial integrity OF the several
Balkan States should be entered into.
XII. The Turkish portions of the
present Ottoman empire should be
assured secure sovereignty, but the
other nationalities which are now
under Turkish rule should be as
sured an undoubted security of life
and an absolutely unmolested oppor
tunity of autonomous development, and
the Dardanelles should be permanent.
ly opened as free passage to the
ships and commerce Of all nations IN
der international guarantees.
XIII. An independent Polish State
should be erected, which should In
clude the territories inhabited by IT..
disputably Polish populations. which
should be assured a free and secure
access to the sea, and whose political
and economic independence and ter
ritorial integrity should be guaran'
teed by international covenant.
XIV. A general association of ma.
lions must be formed under specific
covenants for the purpose of afford
ing mutual guarantee of political in
dependence and territorial integrity 10
great and small states alike.
in regard to these essential recti'
flcations of wrong and assertions OF
right we feel ourselves to be intimate
partners of all the governments and
peoples associated together against
the imperialists. We can not be sepa
rated in interest or divided in purpose
We stand together until the end.
"For such arrangements and cove
nants we are willing to fight and tC
continue to fight until they are
achieved; but only because we wish
the right to prevail and desire just
and stable peace, such as can be Sc.
cured only by removing the chief
proyocations to war, which this pro.
gram does remove. We have no jeal-
ousy of German greatness, and there
is nothing in this program that i'm
pairs it, We grudge her no achieve
ment or distinction of learning or of
pacific enterprise such as have made
her record very bright and very envia-
BILE. We do not wish to injure her or
to block in any way her legitimate in
fuence or power. We do not wish to
fight her either with arms or with hos
tile arrangements of trade, If she is
willing to associate herself with us
and the other peace loving nations Of
the world in covenants of justice and
law and fair dealing. We wish her
only to accept place of equality
among the peoples of the world-the
new world in which we now live-in.
stead of place of mastery.
Neither do we presume to suggest
to her any alteration or modification
of her institutions. But it is neces,
sary, we must frankly say, and neces.
sary as preliminary to any intelli.
gent dealings with her on our part
that we should know whom her
spokesman speak for when they speak
to us, whether for the Reichstag ma,
iority or for the military party, and
the men whose creed is imperial domi
| nation.
terms too concrete to admit of any
further doubt or question. An evil
dent principle runs through the whole
program I have outlined. 1t is the
principle of justice to all peoples and
nationalities and their right to live
on equal terms of liberty and safety
with one another, whether they be
strong or weak. Unless this principle
be made its foundation no part of the
structure of international justice can
stand. ...
"The people of the United States
could act upon no other principle, and
to the vindication of this principle
they are ready to devote their lives
their honor, and everything that they
possess The moral climax OF this
the eliminating and final war for hui
man liberty has come, and they are
ready to put their own strength. their
own highest purpose, their own integ
rity and devotion to the test"