Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-09-01

fed unless it connotes the performance
by every voter of full duty to the state
both in peace and in war. The man who
refuses to ht himself to fight in right
eous war for his country is not At to vote
In that country. We should follow the
examples of the free democracies of Swift
zerland and Australia. There should be
in this country a system of universal OBJ
ligatory military training in time OF
peace. and in time of war universal ser
vice in whatever capacity the man or
woman shall be judged most fit to serve
the commonwealth.
Applied Patriotism.
The policies of Americanism and pre-
paredness, taken together, mean applied
patriotism. There should be correlation
Of policy and armament. Our first duty
as citizens of the United States is owed
to the United States. But If we are true
to our principles we must also think OF
serving the interests of mankind at large.
In addition to serving our own country
we must shape the policy of our country
80 as to secure the cause of international
righteousness, fair play and humanity
Our first duty is to protect our own
rights; our second, to stand up for the
rights of others. President Wilson has
signally failed to perform either duty.
They can be performed only by deed
Words alone are useless. But, above all,
fine words about abstract qualities which
are contradicted by unworthy deeds in
concrete cases are much worse than use
less, because they teach us habits OF
hypocrisy, and because they cause other
nations to regard us with utter contempt.
President Wilson in his Decoration Day
speech said: We hold dear the princi-
pie that small and weak states have as
much right to their sovereignty and in
dependence as large and strong nations. >
These were the fine words. They were
spoken about the abstract. When it be-
came his duty to reduce them to deeds
in the concrete, Mr.. Wilson Immediately
flinched. The case of Belgium exactly
met his definition. 1t was small ana
weak state (and a highly civilized and
well-behaved state). Its right to SOW
ereignty and independence" was trampled
under foot by neighboring Large and
strong nation" But as soon as the need
for deeds arose, Mr.. Wilson forgot all
about 1.-The principle he held dear. he
promptly announced that we should be
neutral in fact as we'll as in name, IN
thought as we'll as in action between
the small, weak, unoffending nation ana
the large strong nation which was roo-
bjng it of it's sovereignty and lndepena-
ence. Such neutrality has been compareo
to the neutrality of Pontius Plate rms
is unjust to Pontius plate, who at least
gently urged moderation on the wrong
doers. The Presidents fine words were
rsed merely to cloak igneble action and
ienoble inaction. All Americans proud OF
their country should keenly resent 'iie
wrong he thereby did their country AS
an American with exceptional lhterha-
tional knowledge has said; ~
single official expression by the Govern
ment of the United States. single SEN
tence denying assent and recoroihs us
approval of what Germany did IN Del
gi,m, would have given to the people VI
America that leadership to which thev
uere entitled in their earnest cropping FOR
tho light. 1t would have ranged behind
American leadership the conscience ana
have brought to American diplomacy tina
respect and strength of loyalty TO great
cause. But it was not to be. The Amer'-
can Government failed to rise to the de-
mands of the great occasion.
"He Has Kept Us Out of War;"
At this moment MIR. Wilson, and MI
Wilson's fuglemen, advance as his great
est claim that he has kept US out OF
war" This claim can be seriously made
only by individuals who endorse Presl-
dent Wilson'S belief that deeds are noth-
ing. and words everything. war means
a clash between the armed forces OF Two
countries Nowadays thanks quite as
much to the professional pacifists as TO
the militarists) 1t means, turthermore'
tho destruction of the lives of civilians
and the property of civilians, as well as
the property of the government Chuei
President Mckinley we had war with
Spain. Under President wilson we are
assured that we have had peace WITH
Max,co These are the words. NOW TOT
the deeds During the war with SPAIN
fewer Americans were killed by the SPAN
iards than have been killed by Me3lcahs
during the present peace with Mexico.
T .et me repeat this. greater NUMBER OF
Americans have been killed by Mexlcans
during these years, when we are onclaliy
informed that we have been at peace
with them. than were killed by the span
:. rds during our entire war with Spain.
Moreover. when the war with Spain was
throueh It was through. But peace Still
continues to rage as furiously as ever IN
,.axico. Nor is this ALL The instant er-
,oc+ Of the outcome of the war win
srain was to put a stop to the dreadtui
hutcherv and starvation in Cuba ana the
pb,,,ppines, and the entry OF both Cuoa
and the Philippines on career OF 10
Years of peace and prosperity such as
th.v have never known before In all
their checkered history. But during
these three years of Mr.. Wilson's peace
the Mexicans themselves have been
hutchered by their own bandits steaoily
ond without intermission; and Mexican
,,or,.r and children have died by thous-
ands-probably by scores of thousands-of
starvation, and of the diseases incident
IN starvation. In other words, Mr. NC
K;r,ev.s war cost less bloodshed than
Mr.. wilson's peace: and it reflected high
honor on the American people; whereas
Mr.. Wilson'S peace has been one OF
.,aue and dishonor for the American