Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-04-13

the responsibility Of conducting the
war and safeguarding the nation will
most directly fall.
Would Vlndleate Principles Of Justice.
While we do these things, these
deeply momentous things, let us be
very clear and make very clear to all
the world what our motives and our
objects are. My own thought has
not been driven from its habitual and
normal course by the unhappy events
OF the last two months, and / do not
believe that the thought of the nation
has been altered or clouded by them.
/ have exactly the same things in
mind now that l had in mind when l
addressed the Senate on the 22nd OF
January last; the same that had in
mind when l addressed the Congress
on the 3rd of February and on the 26th
of February.
Cur object, now, as then, is to vim
dictate the principles Of peace and
justice in the life OF the world as
against selfish and autocratic power
and to set up amongst the really free
and self-governed peoples of the world
such a concert of purpose and Of &C
ton as will henceforth insure the OBJ
%servance OF these principles.
Neutrality is no longer feasible or
desirable where the peace Of the
world is involved and the freedom of
its peoples, and the to that
peace and freedom lies in the exist
ence of autocratic governments
backed by organized force which is
controlled wholly by their will. not by
the will Of their people. We have
seen the last of neutrality in such
circumstances.
Quarrel with Government, Not People.
We are at the beginning OF an age
in which It will be insisted that the
same standards of conduct and of re-
spOnsibility for wrong done shall be
observed among nations and the gov
ernments that are observed among
the individual citizens of civilized
states.
We have no quarrel with the Ger
man people. We have no feeling
toward them but one of sympathy and
friendship. 1t was not upon their Inn
pulse that their government acted in
entering this war. 1t was not with
their previous knowledge or approval,
It was a war, determined upon as
wars used to be determined on in
the old unhappy days when peoples
were nowhere consulted by their
rulers and wars were provoked and
waged in the interest Of dynasties
or of little groups of ambitious men
who were accustomed to use their
fellow men as pawns and tools.
S-elf-governed nations do not fill
their neighbor states with spies or
sec the course of intrigue to bring
about some critical posture of affairs
which will give them an opportunity
to strike and make conquest Such
designs car be successfully worked
only under cover, and where no one
has the right to ask questions.
C%unningly contrived plans of decep
ton or aggression, carried, it may
be from generation to generation, can
be worked out and kept from the
light only within the privacy OF
courts or behind the carefully guard
ed condolences of a narrow and pri
illeged class. They are happily i'm.
possible where public opinion com.
mands and insists upon full infor
nation concerning all the nations
affairs.
Sees New Hope In Russian Revolt
A steadfast concert for peace can
never be maintained except by Il part
nership Of democratic nations. Nc
autocratic government could be
trusted to keep faith within It or OBJ
serve its covenants. 1t must be a
league Of honor, a partnership OF
opinion.
Intrigue would eat its vitals away
the plottings of inner circles who
could plan what they would and ron
der account to nc n would be q
corruption seated al its very heart
Only free peoples can hold their pur
pose and their honor steady to q
common end and prefer the interests
of mankind to any narrow interest o
their own.
Does not 6 cry American feel thar
assurance has been added to our hope
for the future peace of the world by
the wonderful and h%eartening thing,
that have been happening within tn,
last few weeks in Russia?
Russia vas known by those WHIT
knew 1t best to have been always II
fact democratic at heart, in all the
vital habits of her thought, in all thu
intimate relationships or her people
that spoke their natural instinct, thei
habitual attitude towards life.
, The %autocracy that crowned tn
summit Of her political structure, lon
/, as 1t had stood and terrible as wa
the reality of its power, was not Il
{ fact Russian in origin, character o
/, purpose; and now it has been shaker
off and the great, generous Russian
people have been added in all thei
native majesty and might to the force
that are fighting for freedom in tn
, world, for justice and for peace. Her
! Is a fit partner for a league of honoi
1 Plots Aimed at Unity Of America.
One Of the things that has serve
g to convince us that the Prussian al
tocracy was not and could never b
! our friend is that from the very GU
Y set of the present war II has file
our u~nsuspecting communities an
Y even our offices of government wit
! spies and set criminal intrigues every
/ where afoot against our national unit
Y OF council, our peace within and will
out, our industries and our