The Keota news., 1917-04-06

the responsibility Of conducting the
war and safeguarding the nation WIZ
most directly fall.
Would vindieate Principles Of Jvossoe'
While we do these things. these
deeply momentous things. let US oe
very elear and make very clear to Al
the world what our motives ana our
objects are. My own thought mas
not been driven from its habituAl and
normal course by the unhappy events
OF the last two months. and l DO not
believe that the thought Of the nation
has been altered or clouded by them.
have exactly the same things 10
mind now that / had In mind when
addressed the Senate on the zznd OF
January last; the same that had IN
mind when l addressed the Congress
on the 3rd of February and on the goth
of February.
Our object, now, ~ then, ts 70 v1n'
dicate the principles Of peace and
Justice in the life of the world ~
against selfish and autocratic power
and to set up amongst the really free
and self-governed peoples OF the world
such a concert of purpose ana OF ac'
ton as will henceforth insure the OBJ
servance OF these principles.
Neutrality is no longer feasible or
desirable where the peace OF the
world is involved and the freedom OF
its peoples. and the menace to that
peace and freedom lies in the exist
ence Of autocratic governments
backed by organized force which u
controlled wholly by their will. not by
the will of their people. We have
seen the last of neutrality in such
circumstances.
Quarrel with Government; Net People.
We are at the beginning Of an aSe
in which it will be insisted that the
same standards of conduct and OF ~
sponsibility for wrong done shall be
observed among nations and the gov.
the individual citizens of civilized
states.
We have no quarrel with the Ger.
man people, We have no feeling
toward them but one of sympathy and
friendship. 1t was not upon their i'm
pulse that their government acted In
entering this war. 1t was not with
their previous knowledge or approval.
1t was a war, determined upon AZ
wars used to be determined on in
the old unhappy days when peoples
were nowhere 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 to use their
fellow men as pawns and tools.
Self-governed nations do not fill
their neighbor states with spies or
set the course of intrigue to bring
about some critical posture of affairs
which will give them an opportunity
to strike and make conquest. Such
designs can be successfully worked
only under cover, and where no one
has the right to ask questions.
Cunningly contrived plans Of decep-
tion or aggression, carried, 1t may
be from generation to generation, can
be worked out and kept from the
light on'y within the privacy, Of
courts or behind the carefully kuaxti.
ed condolences of a narrow and pTi.
illeged class. They are happily I'M
possible where public opinion COM
mands and insists upon full infors
nation concerning all the nations
affairs.
Sees New Hope In Russian Revolt.
A steadfast concert for peace can
never be maintained except by Il part
nership Of democratic nations. No
autocratic government could be
trusted to keep faith within it or OBJ
serve it's covenants. 1t must be 4
league Of honor. a partnership Of
opinion
Intrigue would eat its vitals away;
the plottings of inner circles Who
could plan what they would and ron.