Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-01-20
PC|yCA'' { PRAISES U.S.;
FOUGHT FOR AN |LEkL
Designates Presidents Peace Pol
icy as the Basis for Confer
ence's Action.

Paris, Jan. 20.-Ihe greeting of the
French Republic tn the members of tn G
| Peace Conference was extended at the
opening session Saturday afternoon by
President Poincare. who in his address
praised the unselfishncss Of the American
Republic in entering the world war and
assumed the intention of the congress to
establish a League of Nations
After review the parts played by the
nations of the Entente and subsequently
the participation of the smaller nations
IN the war. President Poincare paid this
tribute to the United States.
WORLD ARRAYED AGAINST HUN.
1t was the extent of German ambitions
that brought so many peoples, great and
small, to align themselves against the
same adversary. And what shall | say
of the solemn resolutions taken by the
| United States in the spring Of 1917, under
] the auspices of its ilustrious President
| MIR. Wilson, whom am happy 10 greet
here IN the name of grateful France. and
if YOU will allow me to say so, gentlemen,
III the pame Of all the nations represented
/ In this room.
What shall say of the many other
| American powers which either declared
| themselves against Germany Brazil,
! Cuba, Panama Guatemala, Nicaragua
| Haiti, Honduras or ut least broke of
| diplomatic relations Bolivia, Peru, Ecuua
| dor, Uruguay. From the north to the
| south the now world arose with indigna-
| tion when il saw the empires Of Central
| Europe, after having let loose the war
without provocation and without excuse,
carry IT on with iirc, pillage and the mas
sacrc Of inoifcnsive beings.
u. e. DEFENDED IDEAL or LIBERTY.
The Intervention of the United States
was something more than great political
| and military event. II vas a supreme
Judgment passed at the bar of history
hy the lofty conscience of free people
and their Chief Magistrate on the enor-
nous responsibilities incurred in the
frlGhtful Conflict which was Iaoerating
humanity
1T was not only to protect itself from
the audacIous aims Of German megalo-
mania that the United States equipped
fleets and created immense armies. hut also
and above all, to defend an ideal Of liberty
over which il saw the huge shadow Of tie
imperial eagle cncroaching further every
day America, the daughter Of Europe
crossed the ocean to rescue her mother
from the humiliation of thraldom and 10
save civilization.
Tho American people wished to put
an end to the greatest scandal that has
ever sulied the annals Of mankind Auto
cratic governments, having prepared in
tie secrecy Of the chancellcries and the |
general staffs mad program Of universal |
dominion, let loose their packs at the time |
fixed by their genius for intrigue and /
sounded the horns for the chase, ordering /
science tat the very time IT, was beginning |
to abolish distances, TO bring men closer
together and make life swecter) to leave
the bright skv toward which II was soaring |
and to place itself suhmisslvelv at the
service Of violence; debaslng the religious
idea to the extent OF making God the com
placcnt auxiliary Of their passions and
the accomphcc Of their crimes IN short, |
counting as nought the traditions and wills
Of peoples, the lives Of citizens, the honor
of women and all those principles of public
and private mortality which we for our
part have endeavored to keep unaltered
throughout the war and which neither
nations nor individuals can repudiate
or disregard with impunity.
FOR LEAGUE or NATIONS.
While introducing into the world as
much harmony rs possible you will, In
conformity with the fourteenth Of the
unanimously adopted by the
great Allied powers. establish a general
league Of natio which will be the supreme
against any fresh assault upon
the right of peoples. You do not intend
this international association TO be di-
rected against anybody IN the future.
II will not, Of a set purpose. shut out
but having been organized by
the nations that have sacrificed themselves
in the defense Of right, it viii receive from
their11s statutes and fundamental rules.
WILL PREVENT RENEWALS OF WAR.
ut will lay down conditions concerning
present or future adherence and. as 1t Is
20 have for its essential aim the prevention
IS far as possible of the renewals Of wars.
I will, above all, seek To gain respect for
he peace which you will have established
md will find It the less difficult to main
ain in proportion as thus peace will in
tseh imply the greater realities of justice
md safer guarantees OF stability.
BY establishing this new order of !
hings you will meet the aspirations Of !
which after the frightful con
rulsions Of the bloodstained years, ardent
Y wishes to feel itself protected by
lnion Of free people against the very possi :
lie revival of primitive savagery. An
immortal glory will attach to the names
+ the nations and the men who have
esired II cooperate IN this grand work S
n faith and brotherhood and who have c
aiken the pains to eliminate from the 2
uture peace causes Of disturbance and a
TO RESTORE STOLEN FRANCE. /
This very day As years ago-on the
Sth OF January, lS7l-the German c
rnpire was proclaimed by an army of /
lvaslon in the Chateau Of Versailles. 1t t
as consecrated by the theft of two French f
rovinces. 1t was thus a violation from I
5 origin, and, by the fault Of its founders j
was born in injustice 1t has ended in |
blivlon {
You are assembled IN order to repair :
be evil that has been done and TO prevent :
recurrence Of If You hold IN your !
ands the future OF the world ] leave
on gentlemen TO your grave deliberations /
nd declare the conference of Pans open :