GREAT SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17212, 13 February 1918, Page 6

GREAT SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT.

"A WAR OF EMANCIPATION."

AMERICA WILL SEE IT THROUGH

TO THE EM>

WASHINGTON. February 11. President "Wilson, addressing Congress, said the United States did not .Ejesire to interfere with European :ii-i-airs, and disdained to take advantage of internal disorders to impose her will on other peoples. ■;• President .Wilson holds that he fan discuss general peace based ou justice i'o each party in the settlement of territorial rights, settlements for Hie interests of the population concerned. President Wilson declares that until the war of emancipation has achieved the basis of the people's freedom the United States will continue to fight.

■ President Wilson opposed Hertlingjs and Czernin's policies, but conceived that Czernin saw clearly the fundamentals for a permanent peace. Austria seeing the necessity for conceding essential principles and applying them, can respond to the United ,Stato» programme "wifn less embarrassment than Germany. Dr. Wilson said : "We cannot turn back to the basis Hertling proposes. AmeriCft is ready to be shown that the terms «f settlement she suggests are not the Best. All well-defined national aspirations will be accorded all satisfaction possible without introducing new or perpetuating old discordant elements likely to break the world's peace The war started from a disregard of the .rights of small nations an.l covenants. We must make this impossible in the future. Hertling cannot expect this to go unaltered while he demands an international settlement of the economic questions. General peace can l,c discusser! only if based <•- the justice and equality of the people's and national autonomy.

President Wilson said that Czerniu adopted a friendly tone, and seemed to ccc Ihc fundamentals of peace with clear eyes and was not seeking to obscure them. Czernin probably Mould have gone further it Austria were not embarrassed by alliances or dependent s largely on Germany. The United States would continue to the end, because the war v as really cne of emancipation.

■ - President Wilson further that : peace was impossible on Ik-rtling's '"Basis The militarists in Germany would prefer to send a million to doatij rather ■^Ihan accept a ji:st- peace. America liad '•uficred indignities inflicted by Germany, aad there cannot be peace untiJ ;ji>e cau.se of the war is removed.

r: Mr Wilson eoudinincd Herfrling's speech, which was vague and confusing 'and full of unequivocal phrases, but he welcomed Gwrnui's statement for its friendly tone. Mr Wilson declared that no annexations, no contributions and no punitive charges are the essential ■i ac^ov- i in the discussion of peace but .\ye do not want a peace made of phi-vde aud patches. The te*ts as to whether the belligerents find it possible to continue to compare views were, firstly. eack part of a final settlement to be based upon essential justice; secondly, people* and provinces ought not to he gartered about like chattels iv order to maintain the balance r>f power, thirdly, territorial settlement* must be for ihe people's beueh't, not merely the ad••justmenc of riva] States' claims; fourthly' well-defined national aspirations must be accorded all possible satisfaction. Untii a general p-m-.-c on such terms ia possible the United States must continue to fight. Everyone concerned admitted these principles except the military autocrats in Germany.

: President Wilson, continuing his speech in Congress, said that Hertling argued that the :;eas ougbt to be free, but looked askance at any litr.nation to that freedom by international action. UertHns is'after a settlement with mdivrftua"! States by a system of exchange and barter, after which he will have no objection to the proposed League of I ations, but this method is really the method followed by the Congress of Vienna. We cannot and will no', re turn to that. What wo are now Striving for is a new international order based on international right, not a mere peace based on shreds and patches. Hertling has evidently forgotten this. He had also failed to remember the-Reichstag revo lution on the 19th July, 1917. " President Wilson further said: — "Our whole strength will be put in this war of emancipation, whatever be the difficulties. In no circumstances will we consent to live in a world governed by intrigue and force." The cower of the United States was a power making for justice, and not a menace to any nation or people.

The President's speech has had a most 'avourable reception, and i* likely to pin country-wide approval. I(, j* s jncerpreted to mean that the maiu purpose of America is to driv<» a wed«*e further between Germany and Austria 3 NEW YORK, "February 11. Mr Baker has reorganised the Wai Department, dividing it into jive branches, thus securing efficiency and eliminating red tap*.