Mr. Wilson defines the principles of an effective settlement as
follows :—
" No• people must- be forced under a soVerel,gtty under which- it does not wish to live. No territory-must-change hands except for the purpose of securing those which inhabit it-a fair chance- of life and liberty. No indemnities must be insisted on except-those that, constitute payment for manifest wrongs done. No readjustments of power must be-made except such as will tend- to secure the future peace of the world, and the littlire welfare and happiness of its. peoples.".
For these things, the President continues, s " we can afford to pour out blood and treasure. For these are the things we have always professed to desire, end unless we pour tut the blood and treasure now and succeed we may never be able . to unite or show conquering force again in the great cause of human liberty. The day has come to conquer or submit. If the forces of autocracy can divide us they will overcome us ; if we stand together victory is certain and the liberty which victory will secure. We can afford, then, to be generous, but we cannot afford then or now te be weak or omit any single guarantee of justice and security."
No wiser words--combining as they do encouragement with warn- ing—could have been addressed to Russia than these. The Message is indeed a singular fulfilment of the prediction made by Samuel Laing in 1852 which we print in our correspondence columns to-day.
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