The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-11-09


ried. 81 may be from generation 10 gem
Grafton, can be worked out and kept
from the light only within the privacy
OF courts or behind the carefully guard
ed condolences of narrow and Priyi-
legged class. They are happily impOssi-
BILE where public opinion commands and
insists upon full information concern
Ing all the nations affairs.
A Eteadfast concert for peace can
never be maintained except by part
nership of democratic nations. No au-
tocratie government could be trusted
to keep faith within IL observe fts
covenants. IL must be a league of
honor, a partnerahip of opinion. In
trigue would eat its yftals away; the
pfottings of inner circles who could
plan what they would, and render ae-
count to no one, would be corruption
seated at its very heart. Only free peo-
pie can hold their purpose and their
honor steady 10 a common end, and
prefer the interest of mankind to any
narrow Interest of their own.
Does not every American feel that
assurance has been added to our hope
for the future peace Of the world oy
the wonderful and heartening things
that have been happening within the
last few weeks in Russian Russia was
known by those who knew her best
to have been always In fact democratic
Mt heart in all vital habits of her
thought, in all the intimate relation
ships of her people that spoke their
natural instinct, their hnbitual attitude
toward life. The autocracy that crown
ed the summit of her political strue-
ture, long IL had stood and terrible
was the reality of its power, was
not In fact Russian in origin, charac-
ter. or purpose, and now IL has been
shaken on and the great generous Rus
sian people have been added, In all
their native majesty and might, TO the
forces that are fighting for freedom In
the world, for justice, and for peace.
Here is a At partner for league OF
honor.
One of the things that have served
to convince us that the PrussiaR auto
cracy was not and could never be our
friend in that from the very outset of
the present war 1t has filled our un-
suspecting communities, and even our
offices of government, with spies and
set criminal intriEues everywhere afoot
against eur national unity of counsel,
our peace within and without, our In
dustries, and our commerce Indeed IL
is now evident that Its spies were here
even before the war began and IL is
unhappfIy not matter of conjecture,
but a fact proven in our courts of JUS
tice, that the Intrigues which have
more than once come Peril@zsly near to
disturbing the peace and dislocating
the Industries of the country, have been
carried on at the instigation, with the
support, and even under the personal
directions of official agents of the Inn
periaI government accredited to the
government of the United States.
Even in checking these things and
trying TO extirpate them we have
sought to put the most generous inter
probation possible upon them, because
we knew that their source lay not in
any hostile feeling or purpose of the
German people toward Iwho were,
no doubt, ignorant of them as we
ourselves wereD, but only in the selfish
designs of government that did what
II pleased and told it's people nothing.
But they have played their part in serv-
4 ing to convince us at last that that
/ government entertains real friend
ship for and means TO act aEafns
| our peace and security at its convent
ence. That IL means to stir up enemie
| against us at our very doors, the In
tercepted note to the German ministe
at Mexico City In eloquent evidence.
We are accepting this challenge o
hostile purpose because we know tina
in such a government. following sue
methods, we can never have friend
! and that in the presence of it's organ
Ized power, always lying I'm wait q
| accomplish we know not what pur
| pose, there can be assured securft,
| for the democratic governments of th'
/ world. We are now about to accepi
| the gage Of battle with the natural fot
/ TO liberty and shall, IL necessary, spend
/ the whole force Of the nation to check
| and nulIify its pretensions and its pow
err We are glad now that we the
/ facts with no veil of false pretense
/ about them. TO fight thus for the ulti-
| mate peace of the world and for the
/ liberation of Its peoples, the German
/ peoples included; for the rights OF na-
\ lions, great and small, and the privi-
/ rhar m 81
/ way of life and of obedience.
/ The world must be made safe for
democracy. Its peace must be planted
/ upon the tested foundations of political
/ liberty. We have no selfish ends 70
/ serve We desire no couQuests, no
/ dominion. We seek no indemnities for
/ ourselves. NO material compensation
/ for the sacrifices we shall freely make
/ We are but one OF the champions OF
! the rights OF mankind. We shall be
| satisfied when those rights have beer
| made as secure as the faith and the
| freedom of nations can make them.
Just because we fight without rance!
| and without selfish object, seekin 9
| nothing for ourselves but what we shall
| wish to share with all free people We
| shall. feel confident conduct our oper'
ations as belli gerents without passion
I and ourselves observe with proud pune
tilio the principles OF right and OF TAN
! play We profess 10 De ASANAAB ANEs
have said nothing OF the govern
ments allied with the Imperial gov
eminent OF Germany because they have
not made war upon US or challenged
US to defend our right and our honor
The Austro-IIunEarian government has
indeed. avOwed its unqualified indorse
meat and acceptance OF the reckless
and larlesS submarine warfare. adopt
ed now without disguise by the lmper
iaI German government. and IL ha
I therefore not been possible for tht
government to receive Count Tarnow
ski, the ambassador recently accredited
TO this government by the Imperial uni
Royal government of Austria-Hungary
but that government hns not ACTUALLY
engaged in warfare against citizens o
the United States on the seas, and
take the liberty. for the present n
least. of postpOning discussion of GU
| relations with the authorities at VI
enna. We enter this war only wher
we are clearly forced into IL becaus
there are no other means OF defendini
our rights.
IL will he all the easier for us Z
conduct ourselves as belliEereRts In
high spirit of right and fairness be
cause we act without animus. not wit
d with tn