The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-12-04
PRESIDENT WILSON URGED
DECLARATION OF WAR
CONTINUED from Page Ono)

when this thing and it's power are
indeed defeated and the time comes
that we can discuss peace-when the
German people have spokesman whose
word we can believe and when those
spokesman are ready in the name of
their people to accept the common
judgment of the nation as to what
shall henceforth be the basis of law
and of covenant for the life Of the
world-we shall be willing and glad
to pay the full price for peace and
pay it ungrudgingly. We know what
that price will be. 1t will be full,
impartial justice-justice done at ev-
cry point and to every nation, the
final settlement must affect our enc
mics as well as our friends.
Voices of Humanity.
"You CATCH with me, the voices of
humanity that are in the air. They
grow daily more audible, more articu-
late, more persua sive, and they come
from the hearts Of men everywhere.
They insist that the war shall not
end in vindictive action Of any kind;
that no nation or people shall be
robbed or punished because the ire
sponsible rulers Of single country
have themselves done deep and abOm-
Unable wrong. 1t is this thought that
has been expressed in the formula,
"No lamentations, no contributions, no
punitive indemnities," just because
this crude formula expresses the in
stinctive Judgment as to right OF plain
men everywhere it has been made
diligent use Of by the masters of Ger
man intrigue to- lead the people Of
Russia astray and people of every
other country, their agents could
reach in order that premature peace
might be brought about before autOc-
racy has been taught It's final and con-
vincing lesson, and the people OF the
world put in control of their own des-
TIMES.
Wrong Use Of Just Idea.
But the fact that q wrong use has
been made OF just idea is no reason
why right use should not be made
of it. 1t ought to he brought under
the patronage Of it's real friends. Let
it be said again that autOcracy must
first be shown the utter futility Of its
claims to power or leadership in the
modern world. 1t Is impossible to ap-
ply any standard Of justice so long as
such forces are unchecked and un-
defeated as the present masters OF
Germany command. Not until that
has been done can right be set up
as arbiter and peace makers among
the nations, But when that. has been
done-as God willing, it .assuredly will
be-we, shall at last be free to do an
unpr4ceHehted thing and this is E'the
time to, .avoW our purpose. to DO It.,
we shall Le'freeS'to base peace Oh
generosity, and Justice, to- the exclu-
Sion of ali selfish claims to advantage,
even on the part OF victors.
Let there be no misunderstanding.
Our present and immediate task is to
win, the war And nothing shall turn
us aside from it until it is accomp-
lished. Every power and resource we
possess, whether Of men, OF money,
or OF materials, Is being devoted and
will continue to be devoted to that
purpose until it is achieved. Those
who desire to bring peace about be-
fore thatdpurpose is achieved, l coun-
sci to carry:their advice elsewhere.
We will not entertain it. We shall
regard the war as. won only when the
German people say, to US, through
properly accredited representatives,
that they are ready to agree to set
tlement, based upon justice and the
reparation of the wrongs their rulers
have done. They have done wrong
to Belgium, which must be repaired.
They have established power over
the great empire of Hungary,
over hitherto free Balkan states, over
Turkey, and within Asia-which must
be relinquished. Germany's success
by skill, by industry, by knowledge, by
enterprise we did not grudge or OPP
nose, but admired rather. She had
built up for herself real empire
of trade and influence, assured by the
peace of the world We were con-
tent to abide the rivalries of manu-
faCture, science and commerce, that
were involved for US in her success.
and stand or fall as we had or did
not have the brains and the initiative
to surpass her.
Threw Away Triumphs.
But at the moment when she had
cOnspicuOusly won her triumphs OF
peace, she threw them away to estab-
lish in their stead what the world will
no longer permit to be established,
military and political domination by
arms, by which to GUST where she
could not excel the rivals she most
feared and hated. The peace we make
must remedy that wrong. 1t must
deliver the once fair lands and hap
py peoples of Belgium and northern
France from the Prussian conquest.
and the Prussian menace, but it must
also deliver the peoples Of Austria
Hungary, the peoples of the Balkans,
and the peoples of Turkey, alike in
Europe and in Asia, from the impud-
ent and alien domination of the Prus-
sian military and commercial autOc-
racy.
No Conquest Desired.
1--WE owe it, however, to ourselves
to say that we do not wish in any
way to impair or to rearrange the
Austro- Hungarian empire. 1t is no
affair of ours what they do with their
own life, either industrially or poll
tically. We do not purpose or desire
to dictate to them in any way. We
only desire to see that their affairs
are left in their own hands, in all
matters, great or small. We shall
fD If