1008

SAINT LOUIS TIMES - 6 - 12- 17

AMERICA'S PEACE TERMS

President Wilson's note to Russia is
another of his great papers of state
which make history and are history.

There is no uncertainty, no evasiveness,
no chance to be misunderstood, in
the Russian note.

The ambiguities of diplomatic
phraseology and the meaningless indirections
of the sophisticated rhetorician
alike are lacking.

The American position regarding
terms of peace, as President Wilson
understands that position and those
terms, is limpidly clear.

It is the purpose of America to partake
in the battle of the nations until
there can be demanded and obtained
guaranties of future peace which will
not rest upon the mere signed agreement
and pledged faith of men whose
faith has proved historically perfidious
and whose agreements are unbound
when it is desirable to plead military
necessity against their keeping.

There is small comfort for a beaten
Germany in the almost implacably
stern summing up by the American
President of the demands she will be
compelled to yield.

Restitution and reparation for ravished
France.

Recompense to Belgium and Servia

The blocking of the at last recognized
grand menace of the Mittel Europa
iridescent dream.

The Pan-German is riding to a fall
if the outraged, scoffed but now relentlessly
determined American can
win his way.

Not always is it so, but this vast battle
is to the strong, and with America
the Allies have become the strong. Subterfuge,
cunning, bribery, mendacity,
bluster, these have done their best, and
worst, for the Hohenzollern.

The greatly plain and plainly true
Note to Russia is a message to Germany
as well.

The Great Republic has been slothful
and even now is but putting her
armor on. But she will not draw back
till the peoples have won their peace.

41668