TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1917-08-11

TA
thing like a proper and perma-
nent peace.
] do not fear the eventual
outcome. / have supreme con.
hdencc in my country and in
the ultimate success Of a right.
eous cause.
Nor do ! think that invasion
Of our land is at all imminent,
unless Germany, through some
Of the strange and unexpected
developments of this war, should
succeed in concluding her offer
ed alliance with japan.
1t is not wise, however, ia
scott at the likelihood of such
an alliance. 1t is very likely to
occur the very moment that
the shrewd and able statesmen
Iof Japan are convinced thar
Germany can win the war. But
it is not through invasion that
I think the United States viii
suffer the most if this war Is
indefinitely protractcd.
1t is through sending a mil
lion men a year, a million Of
our splendid young Americans
every year of a war which may
last from seven to ten years,
to be- offered up in bloody sa-
crifice to the ambition Of con-
tending nations on foreign bat
tleields.
Is it not better to make peace
now than to look forward to
year after year Of such national
and individual sorrow and sa-
rihce, to such wastage and woe,
to such destruction Of the besr
specimens Of the human race, to
such irretrievable demolition oi
the sustaining structure Of our
Occidental civilization?
How long, too, will our peo-
pie tolerate such slaughter and
such sacrifice? How long be-
fore governments will be chang
ed here and parties expelled as
they have been abroad? How
long before socialism will take
the place OF democracy in poll.
teal power and violent extreme
lists take the place Of the mo
derates who now temperately
counsel caution and constitu-
tional conservatism
All these possibilities, these
probabilities, are matters to be
freely discussed and carefully
considered by every sincere de.
mocrat, every true American,
every conscientious citizen Of
this country and Of the great
world.
There is no use or effect in
threats. I am not considering
myself or my properties. ! am
considering my duty to the
State and to my fellow citizens
and in these days of universal
conservation to ideals a sense Of
duty is more important to any
man than every other considera.
ton. Nor am / thinking Of
Germans, or English, or Au-
strians, or Italians, or Bulgar-
ians, or Serbians, except as ele-
ments of our great common hu-
mainly.
l am thinking Of our own peo-
pie, of our own country, Of our
democratic principles, of our
American ideals, OF the inspir-
ing part our splendid young
men could and should play in
the world, not by dying on for
eign battlehelds, but by living
and laboring here in America
to preserve at home and to be-
stow abroad the conditions OF
liberty, and enlightenment, Of
equality and opportunity, of
peace and prosperity, which
have made our country . the
greatest and happiest in the
world. Our contribution to the
democracy Of the world should
be the shining example of our
own high objects and our own
great achievements, the glow
ing and far-reaching light which
American liberty holds aloft to
illumine the way for other ma
lions seeking peace and happi-
ness.
If it is commendable for our
nation to be in this war with
out selfish purposes, it is desir-
able for other nations to be in
it with purposes as unselhsh
and as altruistic as our own.
land surely it is desirable and
commendable for citizens Of any
'lcountry, and above all, of this
free country, to urge the peace
without victory. which our
President himself but lately
urged, the peace without annex