The Washington herald., 1917-04-03

added In all their naive majesty and
might to the forces that are fighting
for freedom in the world, for Justice.
and for peace. Here is a fit partner
for League of Honour.
One of the things that has served
to Sconvince US that the Prussian au-
tocracy was not and could never be
our FRIEND is that from the very out
set OF the present war 1t. has filled
our unsuspecting communities and
even our offices of government with
spies and set criminal intrigues every
where afoot against our national unity
of counsel, our peace within and with
out. our industries and our commerce.
Indeed II is now evident that Its spies
were here even before the war began;
and it Is unhappily not a matter Of
conjecture but a fact proved in our
courts of Justice that the intrigues
which have more than once come per-
ilously near to disturbing the peace
and dislocating the industries of the
country have been carried on at the
instigation, with the support, and even
under the personal direction of official
agents of the Imperial Government
accredited to the Government of the
United States. Even in checking these
things and trying to extirpate them
we have sought to put the most gen.
eTOuS interpretation pOSSlUle upon
them because We knew that their
source lay, not in any hostile feeling
or purpose of the German people
towards US (who were, no doubt as
ignorant Of them as we ourselves
were), but only in the selfish designs
of a Government that did what 1t
pleased and told its people nothing.
But they have played their part in
serving to convince us at last that
that Government entertains no real
friendship for us and means to act
against our peace and security at its
convenience. That It means to stir
up enemies against us at our very
doors the intercepted note to the
German Minister at Mexico City is
eloquent evidence.
Accept Challenge.
We are accepting this challenge of hos
tile purpose because we know that in
such government, following such
methods. VIC can never have a friend;
and that in the presence of its organized
power, always lying in wait to accom-
plish we know not what purpose. there
can be no assured security for the dem
ocratic governments OF the world. We
are now about to accept gauge Of battle
with this natural foe to liberty and shall.
II necessary, spend the whole force of
the nation to check and nullify its pre-
tensions and its power. We are glad.
now that We see the facts with no veil
of false pretence about them. to night
thus for the ultimate peace of the world
and for the liberation of its peoples. the
German peoples included: for the rights
Of nations great and small and the priv
ilege Of men everywhere to choose their
way of life and of obedience. The world
must be made safe for democracy. Its
peace must be planted upon the tested
foundations of political liberty. We have
no selfish ends to serve. We desire no
conquest no dominion. We seek no in
IDENTITIES for ourselves. no material
compensation for the sacrifices we shall
freely make. We are but one of the
champions Of the rights Of mankind.
We shall be satisfied when those rights
have been made as secure as the faith
and the freedom Of nations can make
them.
Just because we fight without rancour
and without selfish object. seeking moth
ing for ourselves but what we shall wish
to share with all free peoples. we shall.
I feel confident, conduct our operations
as belligerents without passion and our
selves observe with proud punctilio the
principles OF right and of fair play we
profess to be lighting for.
have said nothing of the govern
ments allied with the imperial govern
ment OF Germany because they have not
made war upon us or challenged US 10
defend our rights and our honor. The
Austro- Hungarian government has. IN
deed, avowed its unqualified Endorsement
and acceptance Of the reckless and law
less submarine warfare adopted now
without disguise by the imperial German
government, and it has therefore not
been possible for this government to re-
ceive Count Tarnowski the Ambassador
recently accredited to this government
by the imperial and royal government of
Austria Hungary; but that government
has mot actually engaged in warfare
against citizens of the United States on
the seas, and I take the liberty. for the
present at least of postponing a discus
sion of our relations with the authort-
ties at Vienna. We enter this war only
where we are clearly forced into 1t be-
cause there are no other means of de-
Tending our rights.
Right and Fairness.
1t will be all the easier for us to con-
duct ourselves as belligerents in a high
spirit of right and fairness because we
act without animus. not in enmity to-
wards a people or with the desire to bring
any injury or disadvantage upon them,
but only in armed opposition to an irrc-
sponsible government which has thrown
aside all considerations OF humanity and
of right and Is running amuck. We are,
let me say again, the sincere friends of
the German people. and shall desire moth
ing so much as the early re-establish-
ment of intimate relations Of mutual ad-
vantage between us.-however hard 1t
may be for them. for the time being. to
believe that this is spoken from our
hearts. We have borne with their pres
ent government through all these bitter
months because Of that friendship,-exer-
cising a patience and forbearance which
would otherwise have been impossible.
We SHALL happily. still have an oppor-
tunity to prove that friendship in our
daily attitude and actions towards the
millions of men and women of German
birth and native sympathy who live
amongst us and share our life, and we
shall be proud to prove it towards all
who are in fact loyal to their neighbors
and to the government in the hour of
test. They are. most of them, as true and
loyal Americans as II they had never
known any other fealty or allegiance.
They will be prompt to stand with us IN
rebuking and restraining the few who
may be of a different mind and purpose
II there should be disloyalty, it will be