Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-01-08

~ tuC 1eEIIldH pcOplc, tic PAO0AuSAAs
gave . reinsurance that there was no
aim to impair their peaceful greatness.
The president occupied just twenty
three minutes in delivering his address.
Each statement Of the program was
greeted with some applause as the
president read 1t.
The president spoke as follows:
Gentlemen OF the congress: Once
more, as repeatedly before, the spokes-
men Of the central empires have indi.
Gated their desire to discuss the objects
Of the war and the probable basis Of a
general peace. Parleys have been in
progress at Brest -Litovsk between re-
presentatives of the central powers and
Russia, to which the attention Of all
the belligerents has been invited for
the purpose of ascertaining whether it
may be possible to extend these parleys
into general conference. The Rus
4 Wan Representatives presented not only
definite statement of principles on
which they will be willing to conclude
peace but also an equally definite pro-
gram Of the concrete application Of
these principles
Germany Refuses Concessions.
""The representatives of the central
powers. on their part, presented an out
line OF settlement, which seemed sus-
ceptible Of liberal Interpretation until
their specific program Of terms was
added. That program proposed no
concessions at all either to the SOW
ereignty of Russia or to the preferences
Of the population with whose fortunes
it dealt, but meant, In word, that the
central empires were to keep every foot
Of territory their armed forces had oc-
cupied-every province, every city, ev-
cry point Of vantage as permanent
addition to their territories and their
power. 1t is reasonable conjecture that
the general principles Of settlement,
which they at first suggested, origin
ated with the more liberal statesmen
of Germany and Austria, the men who
have begun to feel the force Of their
own peoples thought. while the con-
crete terms Of actual settlement came
from the military leaders. The negotia-
tions have been broken of. The Rus
sian representatives were sincere and
in earnest. They can not entertain
proposals Of conquest and domination.
For Whom Do Germans Speak?
1.-THE whole incident Is full OF per-
piexities. With whom is Russia deal
ing? For whom are the representa-
stixes Of the central empire speaking? :?
Are they speaking for the majority OF
their political parties or for q minority
that miiitaristic minority which has
dominated their whole Affairs and the
affairs pf turkey and the balkan stateA.
winch kkve 4elt obliged 10 become their
associates Id this war The Russian.
Representatives have insisted, very
Justly, very wisely, and In the true
spirit of democracy. that the confer
ences they have been holding should
be held~within open, not closed doors,
and all the world has been audience as
listening? To those who speak the
spirit and intention Of the resolutions
Of the German ireichstag of the 9th 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 on con-
quest? or are we listening in fact to
those unreconciled? These are very
serious and pregnant questions. Upon
the answer to them depends the peace
OF the world. 81
sckallsnss 10 Accepted.
"But Whatever the result Of the par
leys at Brest t-Ldtovsk. whatever the
confusion and purposes in the utter
ances Of the spokesnen4 Of the central
empires,> they have again attempted to
acquaint tho world Of their objects in
the world war and have challenged
their, onunnenta "a, make their aims