The Colorado statesman., 1918-07-06

faith and purpose with which we all
act.
This, then, is our conception of the
great struggle in which we are en-
gagged The plot is written plainly up
on every scene and every act of the
supreme tragedy. On the one hand
stand the peoples of the world-not
only the peoples actually engaged, but
many others also who suffer under
mastery but cannot act. peoples OF
many races, and in every part of the
world-the people of stricken Russia
still, among the rest, though they are
for the moment unorganlzed and help
less.
Opposed to them. masters of many
armies, stand an isolated, friendless
group of governments who speak no
common purpose but only selfish am
bitions OF their own by which none
can profit but themselves and whose
peoples are fuel in their hands-the
governments which fear their people
and yet are for the time their sover-
eign lords, making every choice for
them and disposing of their lives and
fortunes as they will, as well as of the
4 lives and fortunes of every people who
fall under their power-government
clothed with the strange trappings and
the primitive authority of an age that
is altogether alien and hostile to our
own The past and the present are in
deadly grapple and the peoples of the
world are being done to death between
them.
Settlement Must Be Final.
There can be but one issue. The
settlement must be final. There can
be no compromise. No halfway deci-
sion would be tolerable. No halfway
decision is conceivable. These are the
ends for which the associated peoples
of the world are fighting and which
must be conceded them before there
can be peace.
"First-The destruction of every ar
bitrary power anywhere that can sep
rarately, secretly and of its single
chaice, disturb the peace of the world:
or, II it cannot be presently destroy
ed. at the least it's reduction to virtual
impotence.
"Second-The settlement of every.
question, whether Of territory, of SOW
ereignty, OF economic arrangement, or
of political relationship, upon the basis
of the free acceptance of that settle
ment by the people Immediately con-
cerned and not upon the basis OF the
material interest or advantage of an
other nation or people which may de-
sire different settlement for the sake
of its own interior influence or mas
terry.
"Third-The consent of all nations
to be governed in their conduct to-
wards each other by the same princi-
pies of honor and of respect for the
common law of civilized society that
govern the individual citizens of all
modern states in their relations with
one another; to that end all promises
and covenants may be sacredly OBJ
served, no private plots or conspira-
cies Matched, no selfish injuries
wrought with impunity, and a mutual
trust established upon the handsome
foundation of a mutual respect for
right.
"Fourth-The establishment of an
organization of peace which shall
make it certain that the combined
power of free nations will check every
invasion of right and serve to make
peace and justice the more secure by
affording a definite tribunal of opin-
ion to which all must submit anil 10y
which every international readjust-
Pment that cannot be amicably agreed
upon by the peoples directly con-
cerned shall be sanctioned.
These great objects can be put into
single sentence. What we seek is
the reign of law, based upon the con-
sent of the governed and sustained by
the organized opinion of mankind.
Blinded Rulers Arouse Unseen Forces
"These great ends cannot be
achieved by debating and seeking TO
reconcile and accommodate what
statesmen may wish, with their pro-
jects for balances of power and of ma
l tional opportunity. They can be re-
allied only by the determination of
what the thinking people of the world
desire, with their longing hope for JUS
tice and for social freedom and oppOr-
tunity
II can fancy that the air OF this
place carries the accents of such prin-
ciples with peculiar kindness. Here
were started forces which the great
nation against which they were pri-
marily directed at first regarded as "a
revolt against its rightful authority
but which 1t has long since seen TO
have been step in the liberation of
its own people as well as the people OF
the United States; and I stand here
now to speak-speak proudly and with
confident hopes-of the spread of this