Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 313, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 January 1918 — WILSON DEFINES PEACE PROGRAM [ARTICLE]

WILSON DEFINES PEACE PROGRAM

IN ADDRESS TO CONGRESS PRESIDENT OUTLINES AMERICA’S PROGRAM.

Washington, Jan. B.—America’s program of war and peace, with definite terms upon which the nations great and small fighting together against German world domination, are ready to lay down their arms, was given to the world by President Wilson today through , an address 'to congress in joint session. For this program, based upon the righting of wrongs and the safety of peace loving peoples desiring to, live their own lives, the president committed the United States to fight and continue to fight until it is achieved. “We cannot be separated in interest or divided in purpose,” he said. “We stand together to the end.” The speech, heard by congress at a fi hour’s notice and accepted with a wave of approval that brought together virtually every element of both houses, was delivered as a direct response to ~ the German challenge in the negotiations with the Russians at Brest-Litovsk. It followed closely and ..approved the address of the British premier, but was far more specific in statement of terms, robbing of force in advance any German peace drive designed to confuse the entente and American governments and their people, while at the same time presenting the foundation for genuine negotiations whenever the central powers are ready to talk of a just pea'ce. v Fourteen concrete proposals laid down by the president began with the declaration that the days of private international understandings are gone and that covenants of peace must be reached in the open. Briefly summarized, the other points were: Absolute freedom of the seas in peace or war except as they may be closed by international action; removal of economic barriers among nations associating themselves to maintain peace; guarantees of the reduction of armaments to the lowest possible point consistent with domestic safety; impartial adjustment of colonial claims, based on thd principle that the peoples concerned have equal rights with the governments; evacuation of all Russian territory and opportunity for Russia’s political development; evacuation of Belgium; evacuation of French territory and righting of the Alsace-Lorrain wrong; readjustment of Italy’s frontiers along recognizable lines of nationality; free opportunity for autonomous development of the peoples of Austro-Hun-gary; evacuation of Rumania, Serbia and Montenegro and guarantees for all the Balkan states; sovereignty -for Turkey’s portion of the Ottoman empire and autonomy for other nationalisties; an independent Poland with access to the sea; and a general association of nations for mutual guarantees of independence and territorial to large and small state alike.