Taiban Valley news., 1917-06-15

have begun of late TO profess like
liberality and justice of purpose, but
only to preserve the power they have
set up in Germany and the selfish ad-
vantages which they have wrongly
gained for themselves and their pri-
from Berlin to Bagdad and beyond.
Government after government has, by
their influence, without open conquest
of its territory, been linked together
in a net of intrigue directed against
nothing less than the peace and lib
erty of the world.
THE meshes of that intrigue must
be broken, but cannot be broken un-
less wrongs already done are undone;
and adequate measures must be taken
to prevent it from ever again being
rewoven or repaired. OF course the
imperial German government and
those whom it is using for their own
undoing are seeking to obtain pledges
that the war will end in the restora-
ton or the status quo ante. 1t was
bhS STATUS QuO dlle OUT Ol WHICH IulS
iniquitous war issues forth, the power
of the imperial German government
within the empire and it's widespread
domination and influence outside of
that empire. That status must be al
tered in such fashion as to prevent
any such hideous thing from ever
happening again.
I'VE are fighting for the liberty, the
self-government and the indicated
development of all peoples, and every
feature of the settlement that con-
cludes the war must be conceived and |
executed for that purpose. Wrongs
must first be righted, and then ade- |
quate safeguards must be created to |
prevent their being committed again. |
We ought not to consider remedies |
merely because they have a pleasing
and sonorous sound. Practical ques-
tions can be settled only by practical
means, Phrases will not achieve the
result Effective readjustments will,
and whatever readjustments are nee.
essary must be made.
But they must follow a principle
and that principle is plain. No peo-
pie must be forced under sovereignty
under which it does not wish to live.
mo territory must change hands ex-
cept for the purpose of securing those
who inhabit it fair chance of life and
liberty
mo indemnities must be insisted on
except those that constitute payment
for manifest wrongs done. No read
iustment of power must be made ex-
cept such as will tend to secure the
future peace of the world and the fu-
-ure welfare and happiness of its peo-
)les.
Free Peoples Must Combine.
And then the free peoples of the
world must draw together in some
common covenant, some genuine and
PRACTICAL cooperation that will in eff
ect combine their force to secure
'eace and justice in the dealings of
lations with one another. The broth
'rhood of mankind must no longer be
fair but empty phrase; it must be
5iven a structure of force and reality.
"The nations must realize their com. t
non life and effect a workable part !
Iership to secure that life against the
ggressions of autocratic and self
leasing power
Time to Submit or Conquer.
For these things we can afford to
our out blood and treasure. For these -
re the things we have always pro =
essed to desire, and unless we pour y
ut blood and treasure now and sue. =
eed we may never be able to unite =,
r show conquering force again in the
reat cause of human liberty. The
ay has come to conquer or submit. If
ne forces of autocracy can divide us S
1ey will overcome us; if we stand to.
ether, victory is certain and the lib.
rty which victory will secure We
an afford then to be generous, but :,
e cannot afford then or now to be II
eak or omit any single guarantee OF II
Iction -