The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-11-09

trnlIty In such circumstances. We mr.
| nc the beginning of Rn age In which I
VIII be Insisted that the same stand
ards OF conduct and of reSpOnsIblIIt,
for wrong done shall be observe,
among nations and their government
that nre observed among the IndividuR
citizens OF civilized states.
We have no quarrel with the German
people, We have no feeling towar,
them but one of sympathy and friend
ship. II was not upon their impuls,
that their government acted in enter
ing the war II was not with thell
previous knowledge or approval. L
was war determined upon as war,
used TO be determined upon In the ole
unhappy days, when peoples were no,
where 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 ed
to use their fellow men as pawns and
tools.
Self-gOverned nations do not MI their
neighbOr states with spies or set the
course OF Intrigue 10 bring about some
critical posture of affairs which Will
give them nn opportunity to strike and
make conquest. Such designs can he
succeHsfully worked out only under
cover and where no one has the right
plans OF deception or aggression, ear
ried. II may he from generation 10 gem
erHtion' can be worked out and kept
from the light only within the privacy
or courts or behind the carefully guard
ed condolences Of narrow and prlvi-
legged class. They nre happily ImpOsGi-
bic where public opinion commands and
Insists upon full information concern
Ing nll the nations affairs.
never be maintained except by n part
nership of democratic nations. No nu-
tocrntic government could he trusted
to keep faith within II or obHeTve It's
covenants. II must be league of
honor, partnership of opinion. In
trigue would eat ltS Vttals Rwayi the
OF inner circles who could
plan what they would, and render ac-
count TO no one, would he a corruption
seated Mt Its very heart. Only free peO-
pie can hold their purpose and their
honor steady 10 common end, and
prefer the Interest Of mankind 10 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 by
the wonderful and heartening things
that have been happening within the
last few weeks in Russia? Russia was
known by those who knew her best
10 have been always In fact democratic
lt heart in all vital habits of her
thought, I'm all the Intimate relation
ships of her people that spoke their
natural Instinct. their habltual attitude
Ownrd life. The nutOcracy that crown
ID the summit OF her political struc-
ure, long as IL had stood and terrible
~ was the reality OF it's power, WAS
rot In fact Russian I'm origin, charnc-
er. or purpose, and now Il has been
hnken Off and the grent generous Rus
ian people have been added, In all
heir native majesty and might, TO the
Orces that are fighting for freedom in
he world, for Justice, and for pence.
lere Is tit partner for a league or |
onOr.
One of the things that have served |
o convince us that the Prusslan auto
racy was not and could never he our
riend IL that from the very outset of
he present war II has allied our un-
communities, and even our
fices of government, with spies and
et criminal IntrIGUcS everywhere afOOt
gaInst our nntIOnaI unity of counsel,
ur peace within and without, our In
ustries, and our commerce. Indeed II
now evident that its spies were here
ven before the war began and II Is
nhappIIy not matter of conjecture,
ut fact proven in our courts of JUS
ce, that the Intrlgues which have
lOre than once come perilOuSIy near TO
lsturbing the peace and dislOcatlng
Ie Industries of the country, have been
Irried on at the inStIgatiOn, with the
IppOrt, and even under the per"onal
lrectiOnS OF official agents of the Inn
erIaI government accredited TO the
OVernment of the United states.
Even in checking these things and
'yInE TO extiruate them we have
,ught to put the most generous inter-
rotation possible upon them, because
g knew that their source lay not In
~ hostile feeling or purpose of the
erman people toward us (whO were,
, dOubt, as ignorant of them as we
IrSeIves wereD, but only in the selfish
signs of government that did what
pleased and told Its people nothing.
ut they have played their part in serV-
x 10 convince us at last that that
,Vernment entertaIns real friend
In for us and means to act against
lr peace and security at its convent
ce. That II means 10 stir up enemies
.aInst us at our very doors, the In {
rCeptPd note 10 the German minister
Mexico City IL eloquent evidence.
We are accepting this challenge of
stlIe purpose because we know that '
|
nthOds, we can never have "A friend,
d that in the presence OF Its organ !
ID power, always lying in wait to {
cOmpIISh we know not what pur- |
sc, there can he no assured security
r the democratic governments of the .
,rId We are now about to accept ;
e gage of battle with the natural foe t
liberty and shall, II necessary, spend n
Q whole force Of the nation to check
d nullify it's pretensions and Its pow ,
We are glad now that we see the
IT'S with no veil of false pretenSe
out them, to fight thus for the uItI-
,te peace of the world and for the
Grafton of its peoples, the German k
Dples included; for the rights OF ma
ms, great and small. and the prIvi-
re of men everywhere to choose their
~ of life and Of obedience. v
The world must be made safe for
It's peace must be planted
ON the tested foundations of political
erty. We have no selfish ends to
we. We desire no conquests, no | t
ninion. We seek no IndemnIties for h
rseIVea, no material compensation ,
the sacrifices we shall freely make. d
are but one of the champions of
rights Of mankind We shall be
isfied when those rights have been
de as secure as the faith and the
edom Of nations can make them S
ust because we fight without rancor
without selfish object. seeking ,
hing for ourselves but what we shall
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electricity was first used in a mine