The Washington herald., 1919-01-04
Intrigue of Mountain Coun-
tries to Be Stamped Out
Forever by independence,
He Declares; Says World
Friendship Chief Aim Of
Peace Conference.

Rome. Jan. 2-President Wilson,
eakinE in the Italian Parliament to-
ly in the presence of King Victor
nmanuel. the. entire Italian Cabinet
! all members, again vowed the re-
.aI, forever, of the old system Of
b ances. secret influence, intrigue
y military force.
We know that there cannot be an
Ter balance of power" he said, ad-
klg that there must be substituted
! il. "a thoroughly united league of
ions"
friendship and goodwill alone, he
~. can in the future be the true
. permanent cement of peace, for
that basis alone can peace be
able.
Therefore" continued the Presi-
mt. our task at Paris is to orGa-
ze the friendship of the world to see
II that all the moral forces that
AXE FOR right and justice and lib
ty. are united ana are given a vital
-EanizatiOn to which the peoples OF
pOnd"
Declares League Practical.
again the President averred tina;
. League of Nations is not a chimer-
r. an academic proposition. or an
~ealizable ideal.
What men once considered theO-
teal and .ideaIistic turns out to be
aCtical and necessary" he said.
. 'tates such as those Of the Balkans,
|, lerto held together by brute force,
> It now be independent, Mr.. Will
declared.
is speech. in full. follows:
tour MAJESTY. Mr.. President OF the
lamher. You are bestowing upon
On unprecedented honor, which l
.ceot because [ believe that it is eN-
uIeL TO me as a representative OF
a great people for whom l speak.
j am going to take the first op-
rtunity to say how entirely the
art of the American people has
IN with the great people of Italy.
Bound by Many Ties.
! We have seemed. no doubt. indit
eut at times to look from a great
! tance. but our hearts have never
! n far away.
All sorts of ties have long bound
people Of America to the people
| Italy. and when the people of the
ted States. knowing this people.
e witnessed its suGerings, its sac
as. its heroic action upon the bat
eId. and its steadfast endurance
rOme touching us more nearly to
quick even than its heroic action
he battlefield. we have been
VI, i by a new tie of profound ad-
jon.
: yen back Of it all. and through it
running like IN" golden thread
wove il together. was our know
that the people OF Italy had gone
this war for the same exalted
4 ,Ciples Of right and justice that
ed our own people.
md 50 ] welcome this opportunity
y conveying to YOU the heartfelt
atings of the people of the United
ties.
I Purity of Motive Asserted.
y But we cannot stand in the shadow
his war without knowing there are
rgs awaiting us which are in some
ses more difficult than those we
undertaken. because. while it is
to speak of right and justice.
sometimes difficult to work them
in practice. and they will require
.Urity of motive and disinterested-
! Of object which the world ha!,
! er witnessed before in a council
nations.
t is for that reason that it seems
me that YOU will forgive me if
, some of the elements of the new
IatiOn before you for a moment.
The distinguishing fact of this war
that great empires have gone to
,es, and the characteristics of those
Dires was that they held different
J pie reluctantly together. under the
rCiOn of force and the guidance
intrigue.
The great difficulty among such
es as those of the Balkans has
CONTINUED on FACE TWO.