Fergus County Democrat., 1916-12-21

C mment. The answer given by this
government will be given in full ac-
cord with all our allies
Naturally there has been an inter-
change of views, not upon the note,
because it has only recently arrived,
but upon the speech which impelled
it, and as the note itself is practically
only a reproduction or paraphrase
of the speech, the subject matter OF
the note itself has been discussed in
formally between the allies. am
glad to be able to state that we each
separately and independently arrived
at identical conclusions.
Il am very glad that the first an
swer given to the statement of the
German chancellor was given by Rus
sia and France. They have the nm
questionable right to give the first
answer to such an invitation. The
enemy is still on their soil and their
sacrifices have been the greater.
THE answer they have given has
already appeared in the papers and
I simply stand here to give clear and
definite support to the statement they
hrve already made.
ANY man or set Of men who wan
tonly or without sufficient cause pro-
longed terrible conflict like this
would have on his soul crime that
oceans could not cleanse.
"On the other hand, it is equally
true that any men or set of men
who from a sense of WEAKNESS or de-
spair abandoned the struggle without
achieving the high purposes for which
we entered would be guilty of the
costliest act of poltroonery, ever per,
petrated by any statesman. should
! like to quote the words of Abraham
Lincoln under similar conditions:
"'We accepted this war for an OBJ
ject, and world object, and the war
will end when the object is attained
under God hope 1t will never end
until that time
Are we likely to achieve the OBJ.
iect by accepting the invitation Of
the German chancellor? What are
the proposals? They are none.
ITO enter, on the invitation of Ger.
many proclaiming herself victorious,
without any knowledge of what pro-
posals she proposes to make, into 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 nave
fought a great military despotism
overshadowing Europe and it won't
be the first time we have helped to
overthrow a military despotism. We
have an uncomfortable historical
| rs ,,I
call one of the greatest of these des
pots. whose favorite device was to ap'
pear in the garb of an angel of peace
either when he wished time to assimi
late his conquests or to reorganize
his forces for fresh conquests or, sec
ondly, when his subjects showed symp
toms of fatigue and war WEAKNESS
an appeal was always made in the
name of humanity. He demanded ar
end to the bloodshed at which he pro
fessed himself Mortified, although he
himself was mainly responsible.
,"Our ancestors were taken in once
and bitterly they and Europe rue it
The time was devoted to reorganizint
his forces for deadlier attack thar
ever upon the liberties of Europe.
"Examples~ef this kind cause us t,
regard this note with considerabl,
measure of reminiscent disquietude.
1--WE feel that we ought to know
before we can give favorable consid
Grafton to such an invitation, that Gel
many is prepared to accede to tn
: only terms on which it is possibl
peace can be obtained and maintaine
in Europe. Those terms have bee
, repeatedly stated by all the leadin
: statesmen of the allies They hav
been stated repeatedly here and ou
! side. To quote the leader of the hOus
r last week:
8 Preparation and guarantee agains
n repetition, so there shall be no mi.
: take, and it is important that ther
$ should be no mistake in matter {
life or death to Millions
r LET me repeat--complete restit,
e ton, full reparation and effectu;
L guarantees.
il "Did the German chancellor use
J, single phrase to indicate that he wa
!. prepared to accept such peace? Wa
there a hint OF restitution? Was the1
# a suggestion of reparation? We
t there an implication of any securit
!. for the future. that this outrage Q
d civilization would not again be perp
d trated at the first favorable oppOrtu
# ity?
"The very substance and style
G the speech constitutes denial
r peace on the only terms on whit
peace Is possible. He is not eve
!. conscious now that Germany has cor
.. mitted any offense against the righ
o OF free nations. Listen to this fro
- the note: TisN
i. Not for an instant have they (tl
IS central powers) sweryed from Il
Is conviction that respect of the righ
is of other nations is not in any degr
p. incompatible with their own rights al
N legitimate interests.
W When did they discover thi
70 Where was respect for the rights
II other nations in Belgium and Serbi
That was self defense, menaced, I su
wv pose by the overwhelming armies
q. Belgium. | suppose the Germans h
Nv been intimidated into invading B
q. gium and burning Belgian cities a
az villages, into massacring thousan
al of the inhabitants, old and young, in
nv carrying off the survivors into boz
age. Yea, and they were carryi
. them into slavery at the very nome
= when this note was being writ
7 about their unSWaryinp cOnviction