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SAINT LOUIS STAR - 6 - 12- 17
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TWO WORLD DOCUMENTS.

President Wilson's letter to the Russian people,
like his great address to Congress when he
asked for a declaration of a state of war, is
destined to perform a great service for the
world. Taken together, these two documents
have placed the world struggle on such a high
plane of principle, that the war has been
dragged out of the mire of mere conflicting
national ambitions and made one for the redemption
of the world from military rule. The
first declaration served the purpose of forcing
the Allies to abandon thoughts of mere revenge,
which had naturally gathered head
and were rankling. They were made to see
that they must be true to their real purpose
in the war, which is to defeat militarism and
bring about world peace, but that in order to
do this they must be both magnanimous and
fair when the end came. They took a far
higher stand ethically after that address was
made, its great spirit realized and accepted,
and an effort made to get it into the comprehension
of the German people

Then came the Russian revolution and the
declaration of the Russian people, that they
were willing to fight for liberty and democracy,
but not for dominion, and that therefore
there must be no indemnities and no annexations.
Of course those two words needed defining.
President Wilson's letter gives such a
clear cut definition, while stating the object
and desires of the United States, that the Russian
people cannot but accept it. The Allies
have accepted it by their laudation of the letter.
This practically makes it a contract. No
matter what may be in the secret treaties and
understandings so often alluded to, here is a declaration
of war purposes to which all will be
compelled to adhere in spirit when the war is
over, because they indorse it now. It ought
to settle the status of Russia absolutely, sober
down its people, stabilize its government and
lead to an early resumption of military activity

The issue is now definitely defined as a contest
for democracy and organized world peace,
and to this the Russian people, eager to preserve
their newly found liberty, cannot but give
hearty assent. To President Wilson, therefore,
by the means of these two documents specifically,
but also by his whole course and attitude,
will come the credit for placing the war
on the plane where it belongs, of burning out
the dross of passion, revenge and national ambition
and leaving only the gold of preservation
of democracy and the peace of the world.
When the time comes for fixing terms of peace,
the definitions so clearly and succinctly made
by him will be the ones which will determine
the spirit in which all exactions, concessions
and new arrangements will be made.

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