d themselves? An examination of the documents shows that, although a
large part of the Addresses is concerned with spirit, purpose, and
intention, and not with concrete solutions, and that many questions
requiring a settlement in the Peace Treaty are not touched on,
nevertheless, there are certain questions which they settle definitely.
It is true that within somewhat wide limits the Allies still had a free
hand. Further, it is difficult to apply on a contractual basis those
passages which deal with spirit, purpose, and intention;--every man must
judge for himself whether, in view of them, deception or hypocrisy has
been practised. But there remain, as will be seen below, certain
important issues on which the Contract is unequivocal.

In addition to the Fourteen Points of January 18, 1918, the Addresses of
the President which form part of the material of the Contract are four
in number,--before the Congress on February 11; at Baltimore on April 6;
at Mount Vernon on July 4; and at New York on September 27, the last of
these being specially referred to in the Contract. I venture to select
from these Addresses those engagements of substance, avoiding
repetitions, which are most relevant to the German Treaty. The parts I
omit add to, rather than detract from, those I quote; but they chiefly
relate to intention, and are perhaps too vague and general to be
interpreted contractually.[8]

_The Fourteen Points_.--(3). "The removal, so far as possible, of all
economic barriers and the establishment of an equality of trade
conditions among _all_ the nations consenting to the Peace and
associating themselves for its maintenance." (4). "Adequate guarantees
_given and taken_ that national armaments will be reduced to the lowest
point consistent with domestic safety." (5). "A free, open-minded, and
absolutely impartial adjustment of all colonial claims," regard being
had to the interests of the populations concerned. (6), (7), (8), and
(11). The evacuation and "restoration" of all invaded territory,
especially of Belgium. To this must be added the rider of the Allies,
claiming compensation for all damage done to civilians and their
property by land, by sea, and from the air (quoted in full above). (8).
The righting of "the wrong done to France by Prussia in 1871 in the
matter of Alsace-Lorraine." (13). An independent Poland, including "the
territories inhabited by indisputably Polish populations" and "assured a
free and secure acces