The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-10-24

aids or gives comfort 10 tHe ehCny 40
traitor and should be treated &C
cordingly. We must hang together
as one man, or we may all De hanseu
separately or by company or py req.
ment. AS citizens our prayer anu
desire should be that we may De
successful in this great war, ana per
manently establish democracy
throughout the world, that the Worlu
may learn that this great repuplic
can and will defend her rights ana
protect her citizens whether upon the
land or water. We will teach the
world, and especially Germany, that
the seas are public highways and
that we have Godgiven right 10
travel them without fear or molesta-
tion-that they are free and open to
all countries and all people to traVei
in peace; that they may visit ana
trade with the world.
We did not instigate or bring on
this dreadful contlict-nay, we saw
Germany sink ships upon which were
American men, women and children.
We were horror stricken. In dip
lomatic, peaceful way our govern
ment sought to persuade Germany
that she would not and could not
tolerate such acts of brutality. Ger
many promised upon her word and
honor that it would not be repeated,
but the word of the kaiser was not
worth a poppy blossom. neither was
his honor. The cruelty of the kaiser
in torturing men, women and little
children has seldom, If ever, been
eoualled in the annals OF history.
Such revolving crimes and outrages
penetrated that / dare not speak or
them in your presence. There was
but one course open-to fight.
No matter what the original cause
of the war was, today the one doml-
nant issue is-Shall militarism in the
hands of man claiming divine APP
pointment as kings, rule the world.
or shall the government deriye their
Just power from the governed? We
stand for the latter, and are bound
to win no matter at what cost, be-
cause our cause is just
Today the shadow of the soldier
falls across the ways of life. We
are at one of the great hours of all
time; certainly no era like this has
ever appeared in our history. We
are facing issues such as no men
before us have had to face; we are
bound to render decisions whose far
reaching consequences have stagger-
ed no generation before US. The
greatest armies that have ever as
sembled on earth now battle with
one another along a line of death
more than a thousand miles long.
To that mighty army we are hasten
ing as fast as the wheels of govern
ment can be made to roll, to add
some ten millions Of our best youth
ine soIemnity of it strikes down
every hearthstone and makes US
think as we have never thought be-
fore.
This is not the time nor place for
anyone to lift up the heel of his fury
against the law, or the program of
the administration, for the welfare
Of our country. This is not the time
for America to be troubled by dis
sension and distempers within. We
must be obedient to authority, obedi-
ent to our ideals and obedient to our
duties This is a hard exacting les
son, but we must learn it if We are
to keep America at the head Of the
columns fighting for the freedom of
the world. This is no time for man
akins;" this Is a time for men. The
world-war grips every artery of our
life in grip of steel and every one
of us must not only do his "bit'' but
he must do his utmost.
| do not know just how you feel
about it, but / would apply very
simple and effective remedy to every
man, native or alien born who shows
symptoms of disloyalty. l would ex-
port him TO the trenches and leave
him there amid its shock and death
until there was in him a new con-
ception of our liberty and our duty.
l declare to you that the country
that is good enough to live in and
raise and educate family and furn-
ish him his broad acres and fat bank
accounts is good enough to fight for
or good enough to move out of.
But l do not doubt but that the
great bulk of our folk here In Amer
lea are loyal to the last fibre, and
will pay the last full measure of de-
voion" to our ideals when called
upon to do so.
All of US will be called upon to
make sacrifices that year ago we
should have considered impossible.
NEVER DeiOIt nav Z liS peoples Oh the
earth made such sacrifices as they
are making today. The people are
giving their all that freedom and
humanity may have their new birth.
Standing at one of the critical angles
of history, we are making decisions
that will fix destiny for centuries to
come This is the day for real heroes
and for real sacrifices. The call to
arms has come. The draft machine
is working. We have been forced
into war, but we know that it is a
conflict worthy of the great prin-
ciples and aims of this mighty ma
ton. We know that the sword of
Columbia has never been drawn ex-
cept in the cause of liberty and that
1t has never been sheathed except
in victory. Our cause is the cause
of humanity and of God. Bravely we
march on to victory. The age of the
kings is ending. The age OF the
people is dawning. The car has
gone. The kaisers must go. The