Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1916-12-21


by the German chancellor. The
statements simply stand here to give
clear and definite support to the
statements they have already made.
ANY man or set of men who
want only or without sufficient cause
prolonged a terrible conflict like
this, would have on his soul crime
that oceans could not cleanse.
Quotes Abraham Lincoln.
"On the other hand, it is equally
true that any man or set of men
who from sense of WEAKNESS Nor
despair abandon the struggle with
out achieving the high purposes for
which we entered it would be guilty
Of the costliest act of poltroonery
ever perpetrated by any statesman.
l should like to quote the words of
Abraham Lincoln under similar con-
Iitions:
"'We accepted this war for an
object, and a world object, and the
war will end when the object is at
tained under God. 1 hope it will
never end until that time
Are we likely to achieve the OBJ
ject by accepting the invitation of
the German chancellor? What are
the proposals? There are none.
'To enter, on the invitation of
Germany proclaiming herself victor
ious, without any knowledge of what
proposals she proposes to make, in
to a conference is to put our heads
into a moose with the rope end in
the hands of Germany.
This country is not altogether
without experience in these matters.
This is not the first time we have
fought great military despot over
shadowing Europe and it won't be
the first time we have helped to
overthrow a military despotism.
Napoleon and Kaiser.
1--WE have an uncomfortable his
torical memory of these things and
can recall one of the greatest of
these despots, whose favorite device
was to appear in the garb of an an
gel of peace, either when he wished
time to assimilate his conquests or
to reorganize his forces for fresh
conquests or, secondly, when his
subjects showed symptoms Of fatigue
and war-weariness, an appeal was
always made in the name of human
lity. He demanded an end to the
hloodshed at which he nrofeFsed
himself Mortified, altho he himself
was mainly responsible.
"Our ancestors were taken in
once, and bitterly they and Europe
rue it. The time was devoted to re-
organizing his forces for a deadlier
attack than ever upon the liberties
of Europe.
Examples of this kind cause us
to regard this note with a consid-
cradle measure of reminiscent dis
quietude."
'Only Terms Possible"
1--WE feel that we ought to know,
before we can give favorable con-
sideration to such an invitation, that
Germany is prepared to accede to
the only terms on which it is possible
peace can be obtained and maintain
ed in Europe. Those terms have
been repeatedly stated by all the
leading statesmen of the allies. They
have been stated repeatedly here and
outside. To quote the leader of the
house last week:
'Reparation and guarantee a.
gainst repetition, SO there shall be
no mistake and 1t is important that
there should be no mistake in a
matter of life or death to Millions
Let me repeat-complete restitu-
tion, full reparation and enectual
guarantees.
"Did the German chancellor use a
single phrase to indicate that he was
prepared to accept such peace?
Was there hint of restitution? Was
there q suggestion of reparation?
Was there an implication of any Sc
curity for the future, that this out
rage on civilization would not again
be perpetrated at the first profitable
opportunity?
A "Denial of Peace"
"The very substances and style of
the speech constitutes a denial Of
peace on the only terms on which
peace is possible. He is not even
conscious now that Germany COM
mitted any offense against the rights
Of free nations.
Listen to this from the note:
Not for an instant have they
(the central powers) swerved from
the conviction that respect of the
rights of other nations is not in any
degree incompatible with their own
rights and legitimate interests
when did they discover this?
Where was respect for the rights of
other nations in Belgium and Ser
bia? That was self defense, menac-
ed, I suppose. by the overwhelming
armies of Belgium. suppose the
Germans had been intimidated into
invading Belgium and burning Belgi-
an cities and villages, into massacr-