AMERICA’S PROGRAMME.

Temuka Leader, Issue 7671, 15 January 1918, Page 3

AMERICA’S PROGRAMME.

IN JU-;iiA.Ti(f.N I'D TILE WAH. America's programme in relation to I In- war is, Huis stated by I'reS'ideut iVilsoil 111 a powerful H[)i!t't']l, : "'l'lk; programme, of t!u> wonld's peace, (heretore, is our programme, that programme is ihe only possible programme as we see il.. It. is. this : "Open eounnnts of pence, openly arrived at, alter which no private international understandings of i»y kind, !uil. diplomacy shall proceed, always fraiikb . jn pu|jli<' view "Thine must be. absolute, freedom ol navigation of i In; seas, outside, t.erri(i)iial waters, alike, in pea-e. dtiifl war, i vci-pt as Ihe seas mnv be close:!, in '•'■hole, jn- in pant, by international a'! ion for Ihe enforcement of inter- , national, covenants. "The removal, as far as possible, of all economic harriers and ihn establishment, of equality of trade conditions among all nations con sen ling In peace and associating themselves for its. maintenance "Adequate guarantee? to be given and taken that national armament* it ill be reduced to -the lowest, point consistent with domestic safety. " I'Yee, open-miixled, absolutely ini-

partial .icljusLmtjiiL of nil colonial claims, bawd upon s.ti'icl i observance of t!m principle that in detenniumg all such •(iioslion.s Ihe sovercio'ii iitieivsts of tho populations concerned must have, c |iial wois'hl, with tho c'|UiU)ble of this < iovixniiusii-t whos'; title is to bo dotermiiied. "The evacuation of all Itussian territory. Such settlement <>E all questions ali'eetini? Kussin as will secure

(in! best and freest co-operation of other n.-ttiLoris of tliu world in obtai.ii-in-y for <h,:r an unhampered and uniMii-!-.iiiTiissi:d opportunity for live* indeivndeivt determination of her o\Vn political development and national Policy, and assure her rf a sincere, welcome into tli;.' society of free mil ions under instilu(ion:- of her own choosing. Shu also should be trivon n-s-----s'sLince of everv kind «lie may need. '.! hi; treatment accorded to Russia by her. sister nations in months- to\ eol.no will be the acid test of Vh-Jr goodwill raid their comprehension of her needs as distinguished froa: (heir own in"l'.elgium, tin; whole w () rld -will agree, nut-1 be. evacuated and restored u-ithoui. -inv- al tempt, to limit tho sovereignty which she civoys in oomn,on with all other free nations. N-o other single a'-I will serve as this to restore confidence among t"he nation-; ii: the laws which th"V themselves set and determined for the government and their relations with one another.

Without (his healing- ;ict i.!) 1 ' whole sOuefiiro and validity of in I :;■>- ilonal law would for ever be impaired. "All i'Vcim!) territory should bo freed, and I lie mvaded portion-' reMi.rid. The wiMiio ilom> France -by J'russian.s in in Alsace-Lorraine, which has unsettled (he pence of the world for nearly liftv years, i-iho'dd ho riu'hisd, in. order that peace may once more be made secure in the, inIcrols of all. "tiradjustmrnl of (he fron'dcrs of Italy should 'ho. effected alono- . tlu clearly recognisable lines of nationality. "The peoples of Austrian unwary, whose place riinoiiL' the nations we wish (o see safeguarded and assured, should be accorded the freest opportunity for autonomous development. . "liouimuua, Serbia, and "Montenegro should bo- evacuated, and tire oocuphd territories restore.!. Serbia should -be accorded free and secure access lo (he M-a. and the relations of lilt' several Balkan Stales should be dclern.ineu by friendly counsel nloiitf the historically established lines ofallegiance : »d natiouality, and international i»i. raintoes of] the political and econori ■ independence and territorial ml'crity of live several Balkan States should v .u entered' into. "The darkish portions of the l»"i" si-nt 01 lonian Umpire should be assured of secure sovereignty,' but other iKi'donaiilies now under Turkish rule .should be assured of undoubted secllfi! vof life, and an absolulely mimolest,d opportunity for nut oilollloils dcvriopmenl. The Dardanelles should hi- permanently opened as :l . Ire passage for (he ships of con cci' of all nations undei iuir.rnational e/iiaran-

"An independent Polish Statu should Ik, creeled, which would include Ihe teniiones, mahabitnd l).v uiidispulahly Polish populations, which should be assured of free ami secure uvcc«± lo tho sea, and whose political and economic independence and tcrri(orial iuh'g-riiy should ■lie. iiunruntccd by international coVenauis. "A evneral association of nations must be formed under specific, covenants lor the purposes of affording malual ..riiarallli', s of political iivle. pendemr and urti t < .fi.i I intoirrity to c.pval and small Slate- :l .likf». "In regard to these essential rectihcilioiis. of uiduu' and assertions of rielit. w I'm-1 ourselves intimate partners of all (iowniincrts and peoples a«<oeia!ivd against imperialisls. Hi' cannot be separated in inleresl or divided in purpose ; we sfimd louellier im.iil the end for such ;iri-ni'i< KK-irt •-■ and covenant s. We arc a itlino- lo liehi and continue, to hVhl uniil they are achieved, hut ciily I' 1 " cause mi wish riirht to prevail, and drsirr. a .)*-=! and stable pence, such as call lie secured only by rcmovinp ; lii> chief provocation to war. which 'his prolan mine docs rrincivc "\V,i have -ai.Aen now in teriusi too w.ncr.'je fo adaiil of unv furl!)'' rloiihl nr M ursi: .11. An ev'uh nl principle run. Ilironcli (he whole pr.v ijrainme outluud, the priticiuly at

[ justice to all peoples and luation-ali-ties, ami their right to, live on equal terms of. liberty and safety with one another, whether they are. strong or •.vi ak. i'nlcss this ptiiuiplo i» juiichv its foundation no result of tin; struggle for international justice can stand. "The people of (lie tniled Staff.-! could ad ou no olhir oiiueiplr, and lo vindicate this .principle .they are ready U> devote their lives, tlunr hoiitiur, everythi:i|'4' ihey possess. The moral clinia.\ of I hi.-, tin eiilnvin-itin-;; •inal war for human- liberty, has .Mine. They arc neady to put their ovmi suvixith, thoii own highest purposes, their own integrity ami devotion lo the test."

! U.UYH (i'KOKiiK. In concluding his speech on. what IVilain is fighting for, Mr l.lovd Oeorge s.-ikl : ''Finally, there must, hu reparation fin- injuries done' and f,or '.ln vioiaihm (if inl.rnational law. The I'tacc (.'onl'erenrc must not forgtt iur soa'mi-n arxi' the outrages they have snli'i'ivd for the co-mmon cause oi fi'i'!.'(lom. If we an; asked what wa .-;fc ligiifiirg for, «e can reply, as we. have often replied, for a just and 'as.liiig' peace, and we believe that \yz'ore pi:aie can be hoped for the following conditions must he fultillad : First, 'ihc sanctity of treaties must lie re-established ; secondly. ' torritotial set tlemeuf must, be secured based ,in Hi? right of seU'-dc'termiiiation aid tin;, consent of the governed ; i.nd, lastly, we imis'L see'% by the rend ion of some, international organisation, to limit, the burden or armaments, and diminish the probability of war. On these conditions the Mriiish Kmpii'e,". declared _ Mr Idovd 'lrorge, "will welcome peace. '1 o secure these conditions our peoples are prepared to ina'<e even greater, than '(hey have yet endured. " ' '' ''