The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-09-25
Peace Convention Address



this, the first Peace Congress that
ever assembled on the American
Continent:
1t becomes my duty under the d.
rection of the Committee on Reso-
buttons to speak of the resolutions that
have been just offered to you for your
consideration.
The sole object of this great con.
vention is to preserve this country in
peace with all the world and maintain
her as a neutral power in the midst of
the warning nations of the Eastern
Hemisphere. 1t must be accepted that
every patriotic American citizen, ma
tive and foreign born, who has the in.
terest of this country at heart desires
that our peace should be maintained,
and that we should stand fair and i'm.
partial in the midst of this mighty con-
fiict. America has much higher duty
to perform than to maintain tranquil
lily with foreign nations. She has the
primary duty Of maintaining harmony
and good will among the diversified
citizenship of this nation itself.
Sowing the Seeds Of Discord in
America.
We have within the great America
peoples from every land and races
from every cline. Many of the races
of Europe are represented in America
with a population of foreign blood al
most as large as the race in their
fatherland and some of the European
races are represented in larger popu-
lations under the stars and stripes than
they are at home. The fundamental
of American peace, therefore, is based
upon concord and harmony among all
classes of citizenship in this fair land,
no matter from what distant land they
come, what language they speak, to
what religion they may adhere, or
what form of government they have
left behind. The seed of discord has
been sown in America. Races have
divided into hostile camps; dissensions
have been generally sown, and the war
in Europe has produced land of dis
cord and of Earring inharmonies. This
result has been accomplished by meth.
DDS that have been used at many times
and in many lands where conquest
was planned and where national ad-
vantages from without were sought to
be achieved. This has been accom-
plished in this country and at this time
by campaign of SANDER and accu.
sations that has sought to divide
America into hostile camps and into
mighty discussions Of bitterness and
opposition. America can only march
on to her destiny, can only be cher
ished home of free people, when
those inharmonies, discords and strifes
have been banished from our citizen
ship, and we are brought into a full
knowledge and complete understand
ing, one of the other.
The Teutonic race in America mum.
bers one-third of their race in the
fatherland. For one year they have
been dashed, assailed and assaulted
with charge, with every accusation
and every falsehood that it was pos
sible for human ingenuity to devise
and human malice TO conceive.
| We have been instructed that they
are not loyal Americans; that they are
seeking the advantage of the father
land; that they are barbarous in their
lives and inhuman in their warfares.
Is it possible that in this late day
after America has passed through its
history and its travail, that it is neces
sary for any man of enlightenment to
be told that the German is a worthy
citizen of this nation?
He has been weighed in the balance
of American citizenship and not found
wanting. The time to prove patriot
ism and loyalty is when the nation is
In dire need of patriots, and that time
has come and gone in American life
In the crisis the Teuton proved his
loyalty-not brutal not inhuman, not
oppressive. Abraham Lincoln sought
the preservation of the union, he
sought that national honor be main
tanned; he spoke to America; to the
Teuton he spoke in a language that he
did not understand, but he heard the
patriotic call, and the son of the father
land answered from village and ham
let, city and mountain, river ani
plain. and came to the nations defense
In mighty and rugged armies, came al
came the waves of the sea on the
shore; came with power of wind ant
waves, came in his might and came il
such numbers that they might have
stretched dividing battle line. might!
as the Unions battle line at Gettys
burg, and when the story was told
the Earring nations that had been dis
severed were again brought together
In the white heat of war and cementet
into an imperishable union with tn.
blood of Americas patriots, and CO
mingled In every crimson stream
flowed the blood of the mighty Teu
ton.
No Breeders of sedition.
The Germans in America have bret