Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-05-28

War was declared and soon the flag
which glorifed our land gloriaed the sen
and the proposition was established
that the deck of an American vessel IS
American soil and that American citi.
zens travelling ON American vessels on
any sea in an the world must be az se-
cure as within the sacred confines of
their own homes.
That doctrine was established and for
over one hundred years England has
respected the treaty drawn for us 10y
Henry Clay and wherever the English
and American flags have hoatcd they
have guaranteed the freedom OF the sea.
Germany denies MS this freedom. She
torpcdoed the lusitania lt tie begin
ming of this war, sending hundreds Of
our citizens. men, women aud children
TO the bottom of the sea- and She has
continued TO sink our ships and murder
our citizens pausng In the midst OF her
piratical ra,agcs 10 assure us that 4 we
would submit To certain humiliating
and impossible conditions. we, through
tho exercise of unusual consideration
upon the part of the Kaiser. would be
permitted TO sail one ship week
IN tho meantime tho United States
has stood patiently by waiting. waiting
for tho privilege Of exercising her rights.
While we have been waiting. The rcn-
tie farmers of northern France. who
never lifted as muck ms n finger against
Germany, have been driven from their
homes while their land has been hap
tised with fire and blood; while I'VE have
been waiting. ten thousand hdeous
tragedies have been enacted against the
defenscless Belgians: while we have hacn
waiting the ships Of ncutrals have been
blown up upon the high seas. their pas
sengers and crews abandoned TO the
mercy Of the waves; while we have been
waiting tho German ambassadors Office
in Washington has been used 10 organ
ize plots TO blow mp American factories.
to destroy American property. to muir
der American citizens; while we have
heen waiting Germany has been nego
tiating compact against our country
with Mexico. while hostile regiments
have been organized, equipped and held
in readiness 10 attack our border States.
while VIC have been waiting the Monroe
Doctrine and every other doctrine guar.
anteed to this western world have been
treated with mendacious contempt until
AZ last. my fellow citizens. We have been
rudely awakened from the intoxicating
dream Of escape from the world wide
catastrophe and in tho twinklinr Of an
eve aroused from tho slumber Of com.
rlacencv into an INDIGNATION borne Of
tho sense Of outraged poaap. we arc
tightinr for the freedom Of the seas and
The trade and commerce and navigation
of all the nations Of the earth.
w" are-not eugaeed in dress
parade my friends Now that we arc
at war. thu free men NJ America will
not be sat SIZED with marking time
Our banner has been unfurled. Il
floats over hamlet and city. over
and vale. over river and
sea. and must he lifted still higher
advanced until II floats over tho firing
lines Of Europe and IS carried in tri-
umph even 10 the watch tower Of the
palace OF tho Kaiserl
Then and not until then. shall we
render our last full measure 81 devo-
tiOn TO the holy cause now submitted
TO the arbitration Of arms. then and
not until then shall the full glory OF
our flag be revealed d.
II then YOU ask what Is the mean
ing ~ this war. 7 answer. Il means
al that our flag means.
II means the principle Of SELF
government originally embodied IN
the compact drawn bv the Pilgrim
Fathers. wonder in tho Mavnower. be-
ginning with III, words "In The name
OF Almighty God. Amen" and closing
with the same.
II means Plywouih Rock Iaxine-
ton. Concord. Bunker H1l Valley
Forge. Germantown Yorktown IN
short. the unrisine OF the New World
a gainet the Old. tho array Of Ameri,
can democracy against European ari-
stocracy: the establishment OF The
most momentuous doctrine the worlf
has ever known namely the SOW
ereignty OF the individual mani
II means the Declaration Of Inde-
pendence. the chart and compass Of
all human rights
II means tho story Of the Revclu-
tior IN the bloody throes of which
our flag was born.
" means representative democracy
with such safeguards FOR tho nrotec-
ton of individuals and mlnorities as
preclude the possib litv OF mobocracv.
II Moons the might 0f right rs
AGAINST the right Of night: the divine
right Of man as against the divine
rirht Of kings
r. means the ssory OF the Civil
War sacred memory sealed with the
best blood over poured out in the holy
cause Of liberty American blood. II
means the elective franchise. trial hr
Jury and constitutional authority. II
means all that our civilization means.
that the schoolhouse rs tho bu'warh
OF American liberty; the ballot box 4.
the ark OF American patriotism and
the home Is the cornerstone Of Amer
lean democracy II means the protec
tion OF our citizens at home an,
abroad in Great Britain. Constant
nope, Pekin, Tokyo. Mexico City an,
.