The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1915-05-21
LET EUROPE WAR
We WANT PEACE

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tous questions, and especially if
they involve the fate or the well
fare of a nation. A wave of in
dignation is sweeping over this
country because a foreign SUBJ
marine has torpedoed and sunk
a passenger ship loaded with
1, 500 non-combatant women and
children and men, many of whom
were citizens of our own coun-
try. In their hour Of anger
thousands of good men have cried
out for war as a retaliatory meas
ure. But there comes a time
when an hour of silent thought
is more productive Of beneficial
humanitarian results than a life
time of villification and abuse
heaped upon other heads. No
amount of rage, no hasty action,
can bring back the lives of those
who went down with the Lusi-
tania. But sober thought and a
careful examination of our own
internal conditions may save the
lives of many thousands of Amer
leans now living. Let us think
before we act.
America is a nation of peace,
and we ask only to be allowed to
pursue an honorable course un-
deferred by others. We do not
seek to dominate or even to in
terfere in the affairs of the old
world, nor do we want to be
dominated or interfered with by
them. And yet duty confronts
the government of the United
States, a duty which is imper-
ative and must be met with
courage and fortitude-t the duty
of safeguarding the lives and
property of American citizens on
the high seas. If that duty can
be performed without involving
the United States in war with
a foreign country, then it be-
comes the obvious duty Of the
president to seek a means to that
end. For deadly war should be
the court of last resort.
And while the president is
seeking to uphold the dignity of
the United States and protect
our citizens without involving us
in disastrous war, it becomes
our solemn duty as citizens to
rally to his side, to present a
united front, and to assure him
Of the loyal moral and material
support of nation of a hundred
million souls. Any act short of
this would be unpatriotic, un-
American, and unworthy of any
human being who claims the
stars and stripes as his flag.
But there is yet another way
in which we as citizens may we'll
serve our country and materially
strengthen the hands of our
president. We have many natur-
allied citizens of German par
entage in our midst, good men
and true. Let us preserve to-
ward them the sane attitude of
fairness and friendship and good
will, lest hasty words create dis
cord and strife among our own
citizens. Let US remember that
when they came to us they be-
came citizens of our country, and
as loyal citizens let us continue
to regard them. And let gentle
men of German birth rise equally
to the occasion and remember
that they are now American citi-
zens, and refrain from criticism
of the land of their adoption. the
land that gives them food and
shelter.
Then, if the inevitable comes
and war is forced upon us it must
come to our own shores, where
it will find US united people
fighting stanchly in defense of
right, justice and home.
Take an idle hour and think
deeply of the welfare of your
country. Dwell not upon the
angry passion of today, but
rather upon the higher plane Of
tomorrow, that the light of JUS
tice and reason may guide our
footsteps in the path of honor.
And if war is forced upon US
we will meet it as American
manhood has met every crisis in
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