The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-09-03

4
universal service, and the first call
for men has been issued. We have
sent small body of soldiers over
seas, and expect to send many more
over as soon as we can.
| And now comes a group OF men
who propose to reopen the question
| of the wisdom of universal service;
they would like to prevent the gov
eminent from sending soldiers out
OF the country for the purposes of
this war; they would have us stop
the war at once, and return to the
status quo ante bellum, and then
have all the nations talk 1t over and
try to patch up some kind OF a
peace.
Suppose a brute has attacked
your wife, and while you are Crap
ping with the monster some neigh
bors come along and advise you to
let go your grip, and enter upon a
consideration of the question as to
how you and your wife and that
sensual brute can restore the status
would do that would be greater
enemies to the future peace of your
community than the brutal ruffian
who attacked your wife.
There can be no peace in your
community until that fiend's attack
has been thwarted, and he dealt with
according to law.
THE people of this country were
driven into this war, after using
every possible endeavor to keep out
of tia war which has now got to
be won or democracy goes into the
scrap heap-and are now intentIy
engaged in doing everything they
can to win it. To insure their sue
cess in the shortest possible time
they need every ounce Of their
energy and every pulse beat Of their
hearts.
AT this critical juncture of world
affairs 1t is nothing less than treason
for a group of men and women to
come in and try to distract our at
tention, divide our energies, and
endeavor to persuade the people of
the United States to take a back
ward step.
Il know that the word treason is
a strong word, but it is the only
word that fits the case.
| Let me read the definition of
treason as 1t Is in the u. s. Com
1 piled Statutes, section 1875.
| Whoever, owing allegiance to
the United States, levies war against
them, or adheres to their enemies,
| giving them aid and comfort with
in the United States or elsewhere,
is guilty of treason Ed.
Can you imagine anything that
would give our enemy more aid and
comfort than to know that the So
called Peoples Council had gotten
our draft law repealed; had persuad-
ed the government to recall its
troops from Europe and send no
more; and had gotten the people to
believe that the United States should
seek peace with Germany at once.
This is what the Peoples Council
would do, 1t is what it is trying to
do.
Il am a peace man, and have been
all my life. l am a 'peace-at-any-
price man but not in the sense COM
monty meant by these words. The
only peace worth anything is q
peace founded in righteousness
For that kind Of a peace we may
have to fight ten years yet. But Il
we have to fight a hundred year:
for it let US be willing to pay the
price.
There is a vast difference be.
tween peace and cessation of war
If this war were to be stopped
now, with Germany's purpose un.
changed, and her power unrestrain'
ed, 1t would simply mean a still more
awful war later on.
THE nation that set out to conquer
the world and throttle democracy
forever must first be stopped in hel
mad career, and then be made Il
conform to such conditions as {
league of nations may consider
necessary for the permanent peaes
Of the world.
"And for all nations there must be
conditions made that will make Il
impossible forever for any one ma.
ton to drag the whole world int
war.
And If this is necessary for al
nations much more is II necessary
for a nation which, in the words o.
The Outlook, has lied, and lied, and
pledges that her word can only bC
considered a scrap of paper
1T is no wonder that President
Wilson, in his reply to the Pops
should say, We cannot take tht
word of the present rulers of Ger.
many as a guarantee of anything
that is to endure; - treaties ci
settlement agreements of disarma-
lments, covenants to set up arbitra-
ton in the place of force, territorial
adjustments, reconstruction OF small
nations, II HaQe Win the OSluldL
government, no man, no nation could
now depend upon.
THAT is a terrible arraigEment
but the most terrible thing about II
is that it is tue.
when the time has come for the
proper consideration of terms oil
peace, we shall want the advice OF
all peace loving men and women, in
Guiding the members Of the so-called
Peoples Council
Until that time comes we will not
tolerate their disturbing and divisive
propaganda. 1t tends to give aid
and comfort to the enemy just at
the time when we must have a unit
ed people IL we are to win this war.
1--WE believe in freedom of speech,
4 but not in speech that endangers the
freedom of the world.
THE main business of this nation
l today is to win this war; and until
i that is done all other things are Of
minor Importance. When that is
done then we can take up. the work
of so reconstructing this world that
1t shall be, not only q safe place for
i democracy, but a better place for all
the generations of men to the end OF
time" .