Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-01-24

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There Is no confusion Of counsel
among the adversaries Of the central
powers. no uncertainty of principle. no
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
Germany 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 a moment to per-
init himself to continue this tragtcal
and appalling outpouring Of blood and
treasure unless he 10 sure beyond q
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, 1t 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.
1t Is the voice Of the Russian people.
They are PROSTATE and all but helpless.
1t 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 it is humane
and honorable for them to accept, has
been stated with a frankness, a large.
less Of view, q generosity OF spirit and
a 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 to say what 1t Is
that we desire, In what, If In anything,
II purpose and our spirit differ from
theirs; and I believe that the people
of the United States would wish me to
respond with utter simplicity and
frnnkness.
whether their present leaders be-
lieve 1t II not, 1t 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.
"It will be our wish and purpose that
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
ACKNOWLEDGMENT 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 u%nlooked-for
moment to upset the peace Of the
world.
1T Is this happy fact, 0 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 WOW now
or ut any other time the objects II has
in view.
1--WE entered this war because VIC.
lations Of right had occurred which
touched US to the quick and made the
life Of our wi people impossible I'm.
less they were corrected and the world
secured once for all against their re.
currence.
"What We demand in this war, there
fore Is nothing peculiar to ourselves
ut Is that the world be made fit and
safe to live In; and particularly that
It be made safe for every peace-lov
ing nation which, like u own, wish
to live its own life. determine its OWE
institutions, be assured Of Justice and
fair dealing by the other peoples Of the
world as against force and selfish ag
~grcsslon. All the peoples of the worlt
are in effect partners In this interest
and for nj W part we see very clear
ly that unless justice be done to 9th
ers 1t will not be done to us.
I'M nropr0m NJ fhp vOrld'a nan 70
therefore, Is IL program, and thai
program, the only possible program, al
we G 1t, Is this:
Wants Open Covenants
!. Open covenants Of peace, openl,
arrived ut, after which there shall b,
no private international understand
!ngs Of any kind. but diplomacy shall
proceed always frankly and in the pub
lie view.
2. Absolute freedom Of navigation
upon the seas, outside territorial wa
tiers, alike In peace and In war, excep
as the seas muy be closed in whole O
In part by international action for tn
enforcement Of international cove
nantA.
3. The removal, 80 far as possible, o
all economic barriers and the estab
lishment Of m equality Of trade con
ditions among NIL the nations consent
ing to the peace and a%ssociating them
selves for its maintenance.
4 A6pouato guarantees riyen and I'm