Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

CHAPTER VI.

Discussion and Peace-Proposals.

President Wilson's messages and addresses have been fruitful in general discussion all over the world. All the comments on the President's messages and addresses have been laudatory. His mastery of language and his pleasant way of expression, make all his speeches and writings pleasant and entertaining reading, though one may not directly be interested in the subject treated. The speeches, setting forth the principle of democracy, have had a most beneficient effect. American democracy is the subject of conversation in the workshops, in community meetings, in state gatherings, in labor conferences and in government counsels all over the world. The effect is so general and conspicuous that the Sacramento Union contended that the President was

Making Peace by Publicity.

"As President Wilson's address has struck the popular fancy in England and America because of its appeal for the rights of men, there is every reason to believe that it will have the same effect in other countries.

"War rests on the people. They pay its awful cost in blood and in the sacrifices of wealth and comfort. They carry the arms and pay the taxes. They suffer the wounds and bury their dead friends and comrades.

"The demand of all people is for peace. The present war was engineered by the leaders of the Prussian autocracy, but the German people and their allies bear the burdens.

"The most significant feature of the President's statement of war aims was his appeal to the almost universal sentiment of brotherhood among the peoples of the warring nations.

"He has made it plain that this country seeks nothing. He has shown that there is no desire for vengeance on the part of the American people, that we are not and will not be in any league against the Teutons which will prolong the enmities of the war after the guns have been silenced.

"If America refuses to join in the proposed alliance to continue the economic war when the struggle of arms is over it can accomplish little and the Germans realize this.

"It is too much to hope that at present the Teutons are ready to listen to the counsels of peace and democracy. But when the people of the central powers, weary of war, come to realize that in their hands rests the power of peace, an adjustment of the principles in dispute can be reached.

"In a hundred ways during the last few weeks the German leaders have shown that they appreciate the fact that America is in deadly earnest in the war.

"They sneered at our little army not long ago. They do not now. The Germans refused at first to believe that the commercial democracy could be effective in war. Now they have come to a realization that the great republic is the power with which they must reckon.

"President Wilson has made a most powerful appeal to the entire world through the world's greatest weapon-publicity." British Labor Applauds.

Representatives of British labor issued a manifesto, giving the whole-hearted support to the programme presented in President Wilson's speech, according to an Associated Press dispatch of January 9, 1917.

The manifesto was adopted at a joint meeting of the parli mentary committee of the Trades Union Congress and the national executive committee of the Labor party. It declares that the President's speech has opened peace negotiations and that the world awaits proof of the sincere desire of the Central powers to carry them to a conclusion.

Signed by Members of Parliament.

The manifesto, which is signed by Arthur Henderson and Charles William Bowerman, labor members of parliament, as well as by other representatives of labor, was drawn up after a meeting called to consider President Wilson's speech.

Historic Document.

The spirit of the historic document is the spirit to which democracy all over the world can respond, and, if it reaches the people of the central powers, we believe it will re-invigorate the popular movement towards peace in those countries now under the yoke of Prussian militarism and autocracy and give their demands for peace a weight and authority that cannot be denied.

Speech is Classic Utterance.

It is a fact, we may say, that peace negotiations have now begun and the world waits for proofs that the central powers are sincere in their desire to carry them to a conclusion that will be acceptable to the peace of the world.

The manifesto considers that President Wilson's declaration in favor of open diplomacy and in support of revolutionary Russia will make his speech one of the classic utterances of allied statesmanship during the war, and in the detailed programme as set forth, the British Labor party "can find no point upon which allied democracy is likely to disagree."

Free Seas Shows Sincerity.

The President's reference to the freedom of the seas is welcomed on account of its lucidity and breadth of definition. It is pointed out that "the enemy cannot challenge its interpretation of his sincerity in his repudiation of aggressive intentions, while no other formula meets so fully the stipulations that an island like Britain is bound to make to insure its own safety and that of the empire."

Association of Nations.

The Westminister "Gazette," commenting on Wilson's inclusion in his programme of absolute freedom of navigation upon the seas, outside of territorial waters, says that in such a world as that to which the President looks forward, with an association of nations affording a guarantee of the political independence ›f all states, with open covenants, disarmament by mutual consent and freedom, as far as possible, from economic barriers, this aspiration could have no terrors for the British. But in the fighting world of to-day it would mean disarming the sea power without. any corresponding diminution of military power on land, which, it argues, would work to the great advantage of militarist land powers and to the great disadvantage of all others, America included.

President Wilson the Spokesman.

The "Evening Star" again lauds Wilson as the greatest American President since Lincoln, and says:

He once more utters the unspoken thoughts of humanitythoughts too deep for Old World politicians to utter. Mr. Wilson has the supreme gift of articulating and interpreting to the world. its anguished vision of the future.

The most thrilling passage in his inspired message is one in which he reads the inner meaning of the Russian revolution. We implore our politicians to emulate his spiritual insight.

Russ Embassy Grateful for U. S. Good Will.

The Russian embassy issued a statement of appreciation of President Wilson's references to the Russian people in his address to Congress, according to an Associated Press dispatch of January 9, 1917. It says:

The Russian embassy, profoundly stirred by the generous words of encouragement addressed to the Russian people in the last message of the President, is cherishing a most earnest and vivid hope that this momentous appeal to justice and democracy will be brought to the knowledge of every Russian citizen and resound all through the boundless Russian country.

The assistance promised the Russian people in attaining their utmost hope of liberty, will strengthen the faith and pour a new stream of energy into all elements in Russia, which, in spite of the moral and physical exhaustion of the country, cannot yield to the forces of autocracy and will oppose, in the way conditions will allow, all attempts of hampering the achievements of the luminous ends of humanity and democracy of which President Wilson has been the spokesman.

The following Associated Press dispatches show how President Wilson's speech was received elsewhere in the world:

Wilson Speaks for Canada-Devonshire.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.-The war aims of Canada, as well as the United States, were given to the world in President Wilson's

recent address to Congress, the Duke of Devonshire, governor general of the dominion, declared in a speech tonight before the National Press club.

"The address delivered by the President two days ago," he said, "will stand out, not only as a historic document in the prosecution of this war, but will stand for all time. I think it is being rightly declared by the press in my own country as the magna charta of peace.

"I am quite confident that I am only voicing the true feelings of the people of Canada, in expressing not only their admiration but their great gratitude for the way in which our aims and our objects have been placed before the civilized world."

Compares Peace Address to the Commandment.

RIO JANEIRO, January 12.-President Wilson's address to Congress has made a profound impression in official circles and on the public. The "Jornal do Commercio" says it is a clear exposition of the high motives which inspire those who are fighting Germany.

"O Piaz❞ compares the address with the Ten Commandments. It says it would be for the good of the world if it could be distributed widely in Germany, and that it will do more to bring peace than all the money, guns, soldiers and ships with which the United States is aiding the allies.

Chile Receives Wilson Message Favorably.

SANTIAGO (Chile), January 12.-President Wilson's speech to Congress has had a marked effect on public opinion in regard to the war and has been received very favorably by the press The purposes for which the United States entered the war are understood as they have not been previously, and the newspapers express approval of the just motives revealed by Wilson's utter

ance.

CHAPTER VII.

Definite Peace Statements Demanded.

General statements of democratic principles were satisfactory and occupied the public mind for a while, but finally evolved a demand for specific war aims. The declaration that the war, so far as the Entente Allies were concerned, now has for its purpose and aim the crushing of Prussian militarism, did not suffice, for what after that? President Wilson and the Pope asked for statements from the warring powers, but nothing definite could be obtained from either side.

The Pope Answered.

The Austrian answer was submissive, as was to be expected, that empire being almost entirely Roman Catholic. The German answer was evasive. President Wilson answered for UNCLE SAM, the sum and substance of his answer being that, so far as Germany was concerned, a treaty of peace with an autocratic, irresponsible monarchy, which may agree to and sign a treaty to-day and evade or break it to-morrow, as in Belgium, was unthinkable, impossible; but UNCLE SAM would be glad to participate in peace negotiations wherein the German people had a voice and vote if the internal policy and government were changed into democratic form, instituting general suffrage. The other Allies refused to answer, but said that President Wilson had stated their minds in the matter.

The Crash in Russia.

Then came the crash in Russia in March, 1917, and with it the fall of the Romanoff dynasty. And in the conflict between the Bolsheviki government, which insisted on making a separate peace with the central powers, and ex-premier Kerensky, who objected to a separate peace, holding such procedure to be a breach of confidence with the Entente powers, as an agreement had been signed to the effect that peace proposals must be discussed and agreed upon in concert. In the struggle between the two contending parties, and for the purpose of bringing Kerensky into disfavor with the Russian people in general, and also to gain favor for the Bolsheviki government with its own peoples and with the Central powers, having uncovered a plot of division of territory, first in favor of Italy, and then among themselves, this compact was published in Petrograd and reported to the press November 9th, 1917, as follows:

Secret Pact With Italy Published.

PETROGRAD, Wednesday, November 28. The text of a secret agreement among France, Great Britain, Russia and Italy has been published here by the Bolsheviki government. The agreement gives Italy sanction to annex certain territory in return for entering the entente alliance and embraces the inadmissibility of the intervention of Pope Benedict with a view to stopping the war.

« AnteriorContinuar »