LAD #31: Wilson's Fourteen Points

Wilson giving his speech about the Fourteen Points

Wilson opens with talking about the peace proceedings at Brest-Litovsk that were happening among the Central Powers, which were broken off due to disagreements between the countries regarding territory captured in war. He makes a few statements about the current conditions there, and then reveals he is going to list the United States' opinions on what should be done, at the request of the Russian people:

1. Diplomacy should proceed frankly and in public view- no more secret agreements
2. Absolute freedom of navigation on the seas outside of territorial waters, unless an international agreement is made otherwise
3. Removing economic barriers and establishing free trade among willing nations
4. National armaments will be reduced to the minimum for domestic security
5. An impartial adjustment to colonial claims, where the opinions of the colonial population will be as strong as the government that colonized them
6. An evacuation and settlement of questions about Russia that would let it build itself up without unwanted interference from other countries, and help when it wanted it
7. Belgium should be evacuated and restored without limiting its sovereignty
8. French territory should be freed and restored, and Alsace-Lorraine returned to it
9. A readjustment of Italy's borders to be clearer
10. The citizens of Austria-Hungary should be allowed to develop autonomously
11. Rumania, Serbia, and Montenegro should be evacuated and restored, Serbia given a route to the sea, and the relationships between the Balkan states be clearly defined and examined
12. The Dardenelles should be opened and the non-Turkish parts of the Ottoman Empire be given opportunity to develop by themselves
13. A Polish state should be created, with an access to the sea, whose independence be internationally guaranteed
14. A league of nations should be formed to ensure independence in other countries

Wilson ends by emphasizing that justice, for all nations, is the most important thing that has to arise from the end of WWI.

LAD #30: Schenck v. United States

People protesting against the decision in Schenck v. United States

During World War I, Schenck mailed circulars to people who were drafted, urging them to resist the draft by peaceful methods such as petitioning. Schenck was charge with conspiracy of violating the Espionage Act, which was made to prevent interference with military actions, recruitment, supporting of U.S. enemies in wartime and insubordination in the military. It was ruled that this didn't violate Schenck's free speech, and that the character of actions depended on the situation- since Schenck's statement was deemed to show "clear and present danger" that Congress could prevent, the Espionage Act took precedence over the 1st amendment. Holmes, a member of the Supreme Court who presented the verdict, stated that speech or actions tolerable in peacetime could be punishable in wartime if they were making or trying to make disturbances.