Licking Valley courier., 1917-03-22

American lives should change the water in the veins of
the "peace-at-any price, weaklings into red blood.
Uncle Sam has turned the other cheek to Germany so
often that had he the heads of Hydra he would not have
cheek that remained unsmtt and yet there are yet
Americans who cry that after enduring the countless slaps
in the face Uncle Sam should turn to Germany and humby
ask to be kicked.
To the efforts of the pacifsts owe the reputation
that America has earned abroad being nation of men
too coWardy to fight to defend their rights If the pac
fists were consistent they would be anxious to join this
fight for peace for the crushing of Germany means last
ing peace for the world.
From out of this awful carnage and destruction will
arise new and worldwide democracy This is the
last foro hope of the theory of the divine right of kings
and in the that peace with bring the idea that
gave birth to this naon-that all government derives its
just powers from the consent of the governed-wi dis
place the divine right theory and crowns in Europe will
be no more That the people have
the light is evidenced by the successful revolution in Rus
sa. While fighting on the side of freedom Russia was
until few days ago. the most absolute monarchy in Eu
rope. Fighting against Germany she governed by
ruler who was seven-eghths German and whose proGer
man advisors enabled to almost nuy the power of
the nation But the patriotism of the people aroused
and the Gar depOsed and Russia democracy
fighting for the establishment of worldwide freedom.
1t matters not what the immediate incidents that
tartets fighting the underlying and real cause of the
war was the conflict between the principles Of democracy
and absoutsm. The two theories of government
nreconcaby opposed to each other that both not
list side by sde and must push the other off the EARTH
The conflict and the na struggle was inevitable and it
could only by bloody because absousm exists
only through it's military power. Nothing save the abso
ut crngng surrender to absoutsm by democracy could
have prevented this war.
And this surrender is what the pacst is asking this
to do mil ahc
lutsm, say to America: Keep off the high SEAS" And
the pacifst cries: Lets obey" If that little body of
patriots in 1776 had obeyed George III that document
the Declaration of Independence would never have been
given to the world the cornerstone of the political free
dom that has brought humanity to higher ground. But
even then they had pacsts only they called them Toy
and ''trator" in those eventful days.
The time for urging peace has passed. Germany has
been at war, actual war; with for more than year.
Our President has patiently worked and planned to keep
us out of the sangunary conflict He has even borne with
cmness the accusation of cowardce in his efforts to keep
us out of war, but his efforts have been frutess Pac-
fists have caused to be accounted towards abroad and
Germany kicks us as though Were and since America
has elected to defend herself war only matter of davs
Even before this printed actual hosites may have be-
gun and in time of the country needs the moral sup
port of every citizen and less than the desire for the r
umph of American arms is treason
Even Cne nloSC craven OF Cle paclSCS knows that
are forced into the against WILL that we fight on
ly in sefdefense and all carpng and criticism in times
like this is to say the least is unpatrotc The coopera
ton of the at home necessary that of the MAJ
in the field and the man who questions the Righteousness
of his countrys in lending aid and encourage
ment to the enemy.
Personal and political liberty was born in America
and it is Americas duty to defend it. There has neve
been moment since the crushing of Belgium that tn
United States could not have entered the war on the sid
of the Entente Allies in good conscience and almost dali
new reasons have been presented that make her entry
necessity Gallant Frenchmen unconquerabe English
are fighting to pepetuate our liberty. Shall we le
them fight the battle alone? We have the biblical propl
esy that will 'cry peace when there is no peace
; Since our country must fight let the fight be sw1
and victorious and let no who loves his country ia
ter in his support cry peace peace until the bannt
of victorious democracy spreads over the globe nsurn
freedom and lasting peace to all mankind.
In tbs stress to cry ''peace" is reasonable