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Show WILSON OBJECTS TO BOGEY Says Attempt to Use I Peace Terms for Par-I Par-I tisan Purposes Is to Divert Nation's Mind. Desired Equality to All Foreign Nations When Demanding Removal of Economic Barriers, WASHINGTON, Oct. 28. President Wilson replied today to Republican contentions con-tentions that the third of his fourteen peace terms is a free trade plank by explaining ex-plaining that in demanding the removal of economic barriers he meant to suggest no restrictions upon international policies, but only that whichever tariff, high or low, any nation might deem necessary, should apply equally to all foreign nations. na-tions. The president made the explanation in a letter to Senator Simmons of North Carolina, chairman of the senate finance committee, who had written him asking for a statement, "because certain Republican Repub-lican leaders are attempting to make partisan par-tisan use' of the paragraph. "Weapons of economic discipline and punishment," the president wrote, "should be left to the joint action of all nations for the purpose of punishing those who will not submit to a general program of Justice and equality." TO DIVERT MIND OF THE NATION. He added that to inject the bogrey of free trade, which is not Involved at all, was to attempt to divert the mind of the nation from a broad principle of a durable peace and that it was lamentable that momentous issues of this solemn hour should bo seized upon in an effort to bend them to partisan service. The president's letter follows: "Dear Senator I am glad to respond to the question addressed to me by your letter of October 26. The words I used in my address to the. congress of January Jan-uary S, 19 LS, were: 'The removal, so far as possible, of all economic barriers and the establishment of an equality of trade conditions among all the nations consenting con-senting to the peace and associating themselves for its maintenance.' ' of course, meant to suggest no restriction re-striction upon the free determination by any nation of its own economic policy, but only that, whatever tariff any nation might deem necessary for its own economic eco-nomic policy, but only that; whatever tariff any nation might deem necessary for its own economical service, be that tariff high or low. it should apply equally to all foreign nations : In other words, that there should be no discrimination against -ome nations that did not apply to others. This leaves even nation free to determine for itself its own internal policies and limits only its right to compound com-pound these policies of hostile discrimination discrim-ination between one nation and another. Weapons of economic discipline and punishment pun-ishment should be left to thc joint action of all nations for the purpose of punishing punish-ing those who will not submit to a general gen-eral program of justice and equality. FREE TRADE NOT INVOLVED AT ALL. "The experiences of the past among nations na-tions have taught us that the attempt by one nation to punish another by exclusive and discriminatory trade agreements has been a prolific breeder of that kind of antagonism an-tagonism which oftentimes results in war, and that if a permanent peace is to be established among nations every obstacle that has stood In the way of international friendship should be cast aside. It was with that fundamental purpose in mind that I announced this principle In my address ad-dress of Jnuary ?. To pervert this great principle for partisan purposes, and to inject the bogey of free trade, which is not involved at al is to attempt to divert di-vert the mind of the nation from the1 broad and humane principle of a durable peace by introducing an internal question ! of quite another kJnd. American bust- ness has in the past been unaffected by a policy of the kind suggested and it has j (Continued on Page Three.) WILSON OBJECTS TO BOGEY I IDE 'Continued from Page One.) nothing to fear now from a policy of simple international justice. It is, indeed, lamentable that tlie momentous issues of this solemn hour should be seized upon in an effort to bend them to partisan service. ser-vice. To the initiated and discerning, the motive is transpaVent and the attempt fails. "Sincerely yours, "WOODKOW WILSON." Following is the letter of Senator Simmons: Sim-mons: "Dr. Mr. President Certain Republican Republi-can leaders are attempting to make a partisan use of paragraph of your peace terms found in your address to congress January S, 191R. No one has authority to reply to a misconstruction of any part of your address excepting yourself, but I, as chairman of the finance committee of the senate, wish .you would make reply to these statements and insinua tions I which are being industriously circulated by the opposition to embarrass you in i the handling of these delicate matters. "Sincerely yours, "F. M. SIMMONS." |