The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-28
NO BARGAIN PEACE, NO BOYCOTT, SAY WILSON,;
HAIG REVIEWS SCAMBRAIDRIVE CAPTURES 10, 600;
BULGARLANS CRUSHED, ASK FOR PEA CEPARLEY
Text of President Wilson's Address.

tHiHh tne same thoughts UT spedh tue Sdiiie
language of agreement.
1t is Of capital Importance that we should
also be explicitly agreed that no peace shall
be obtained by any kind of compromise or abate-
ment Of the principles have avowed as the
principles for which are fighting. There
should exist doubt about that. l am there
fore, going to take the liberty Of speaking with
the utmost frankness about the practical impli-
cations that are involved in 1t.
IL IL be in deed and in truth the common
object Of the governments associated against
Germany and Of the nations whom they govern
as believe ii to be. to achieve by the coming
settlements a and lasting peace. 1t will
be necessary that all who sit down at the peace
table shall come ready and willing to pay the
price, the only price, that will procure it, and
ready and willing also to create in some virile
fashion the only instrumentality by which II
can be made certain that the agreements Of
the peace will be honored and fulfilled.
That price is impartial Justice in every item
OF the settlement matter whose interest Is
crossed and not only impartial Justice but also
the satisfaction of the several peoples whose
fortunes dealt with. That indispensable
instrumentalty is a league of nations formed
under covenants that will be effcaclous. With
out such an instrumentality. by which the peace
Of the world can be guaranteed. peace will rest
in part upon the word of outlaws and only upon
that word For Germany will have to redeem
her character, not by what happens at the
peace table but by what follows
And, I it, the constitution OF that
league Of nations and the clear definition OF its
objects must be a part, is in a sense the most
essential part, of the peace settlement itself.
1t cannot be formed now. II formed now 1t
would be merely a new alliance confined to the
nations associated against common enemy.
1t is not likely that it could be formed after
the settlement. 1t Is necessary to guarantee
the peace. and the peace cannot be guaranteed
as an afterthought. The reason, to speak In
plain terms again, why it must be guaranteed
is that there will be parties to the peace whose
promises have proved untrustworthy and means
must be found in connection with the peace
settlement itself to remove that source of nse-
curity. 1t would be folly to leave the guarantee
to the subsequent voluntary action Of the gov
ernments we have seen destroy Russia and
deceive Rumania
No Economic Boycott; All Treaties Public.
But these geneyAl terms do not disclose
the whole matter. Some details are needed
to make them sound less like a thesis and more
like a practical programme. These then are
some OF the particulars. and state them with
the greater confidence because ! state them
authoritatively as representing this Govern
ments Interpretation OF its own duty with regard
to peace
First, the impartial justice meted out must
involve discrimination between those to whom
we wish to be just and those to whom we do
not wish to be just. 1t must lie justice that
plays no favorites and knows no standard but
the equal rights of the several peoples con-
cerned;
Second. no special or separate interest of any
single nation or any group OF nations can be
made the basis Of any part Of the settlement
which Is not consistent with the common nteres,
of all;
Third, there can be leagues alliances
or special covenants and understandings within
the general and common family Of the league
Of nations;
Fourth and more specifically. there can be
no special, selfish economic combinations within
the league and no employment OF any form OF
economic boycott or exclusion except as the
power of economic penalty by exclusion from
the markets of the world may be vested in the
league OF nations itself as means or discipline
and control.
Fifth. all international agreements and trea.
ties OF every kind must be made known in theil
entirety to the rest Of the world.
Special alliances and economic rivalries and
hostilities have been the prolific source In the
modern world of the plans and passions tina
produce war. 1t would be an insincere as wei
as an insecure peace that did not exclude them
in definite and binding terms.
The confidence with which I venture tc
speak for people in these matters does moi
spring from our traditions merely and the vel
known principles of international action which
we have always professed and followed Ir
the same sentence in which ] say that the United
States will enter into special arrangement
understandings with particular nations le
me say also that the United States is prepared
to assume its full share Of responsibility fol
the maintenance OF the common covenants anC
understandings upon which peace must hence
forth rest. We still read Washington's i'm
mortal warning against "entangling alliances
with full comprehension and an answering pur
pose. But only special and limited alliance!
entangle. and We recognize and accept the duty
OF new day in which permitted t.
hope for a general alliance which will avoic
entanglements and clear the air Of the worlc
for common understandings and the maintenance
OF common rights.