The Washington times., 1918-02-11

CONTINUED from First Pas.)
lens to which I adverted in my re-
cent address to the Congress.
I, OF course. do not mean that the
peace OF the world depends upon the
acceptance OF any particular set OF
suggestions a. to the way IN which
those problems are to be dealt with.
mean only that those problems
each and all affect the whole world;
that unless they are dealt with in q
spirit Of unselfsh and unbiased jus.
tice, with q view to the wishes. the
natural connections. the racial GspIrA-
tions, the security. and the peace Of
mind Of the peoples involved. no per-
mAuent peace will have been attained.
They cannot be discussed separate
ly or In corners. None Of them con-
Stitutes q private or separate interest
from which the opinion Of the world
may be shut out. Whatever Affects
the peace affects mankind, ana moth
ing settled by military force, II settled
wrong, is settled At all. 1t will pres
emily have to be rsOpsnsd.
Il Count Won HsrtlInE not aware
that he 10 speaking in the court Of
mankind, that all the awakened na-
tions OF the world now SIT in judE-
msnt on what every public man, OF
whatever nation, may say on the is-
sueA OF a conflict which has spread
to every region Of the world? The
Reichstag resolutions OF July them
selves frankly accepted the decisions
OF that court. There shall be no an
nexstions. no contributions. no punt
tive damages. Peoples are not 10 be
handed about from one sovereignty to
another by an international confer
enes or an understanding between
rivals and antagonists. National
aspirations must be respected; peoples
may now be dominated and governed
only by their own consent. Self
determination" is not a mere phrase.
II is an imperative principle OF
action, which statesmen will hence
forth ignore at their peril. We can
not have general peace for the ask
ing, or by the mere arrangements OF
peace conference. II cannot be plecsd
together out of individual understand
Ings between powerful stateE.
All the parties TO this war must join
in the settlement OF every issue any
where involved in It: because what
We are seeking Is peace that we
can all unite to guarantee and main
tain and every item OF It mast be
submitted to the common Judgment
whether it be right and fair, an act
OF justice, rather than a bargain be-
tween sovereigns.
The United States has no desire to
interfere in European affairs or to act
as arbIter in European territorial dis
pules. She would disdain to take ad-
vantage Of any internal weakness or
disorder TO impose upon another people.
She is quite ready TO be shown that the
settlements she has suggested are not
the best or the most enduring.
They are only her own provisional
search Of principles and Of the way in
which they should be applied. But she
entered this war because she was made
a partner. whether she would or not. in
the sutIsrinEs and indiEnities inflicted
by the military masters Of Germany.
against the peace and security OF man.
kind and the conditions OF peace will
touch her as nearly a. they will touch
any other nation to which Is entrusted
a leading part IN the maintenance OF
she cannot see her way TO peace until
the causes Of this war are removed, Its
renewal rendered as nearly a. may be
impossible.
This war had its roots in the dis
regard OF the rights OF small nations
and Of natIonaIities which lacked the
union and the force to make good |
their claim to determine their own |
and their own forms of
political life.
Covenants must now be entered