The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1917-04-05

doors the intercepted nOto u l4e ueI-
man minister at the City of Mexico
is eloquent evidence.
I'VE are accepting this challenge or
hostile purpose because we know that
in such a government, following such
methods, we can never have friend;
and that in the presence Of its orga-
nized power, always lying in wait to
accomplish we know not what pur-
pose, there can be no assured security
for the democratic governments OF the
world.
I'VE are now about to accept the
gauge Of battle with this natural foe
to liberty and shall, II necessary,
spend the whole force of the Nation
to check and nullify it's pretentions
and it's power. We are glad, now that
| we see the facts with no veil of false
pretense about them, to fight thus for
the ultimate peace of the world and
for the liberation of it's peoples, the
German peoples included: for the
rights Of nations great and small and
the privilege of man everywhere to
choose their way of life and of obe-
! dience
No Selfish Ends.
THE world must be made safe for
democracy. Its peace must be landed
upon the trusted foundations OF politi-
cal liberty.
I'VE have no selfish ends to serve.
We desire no conquest, no domination.
We seek no indemnities for ourselves.
no material compensation Tor the sac.
rifice we shall freely make. We are
| h,,< ne 1,o ,bp Of thu rtUhto
OF mankind. We shall be satisfied
when those rights have been as secure
as the faith and the freedom of the
nations can make them.
Just because we fight without ran
cor and without selfish objects, seek
ing nothing for ourselves but what we
shall wish TO share as free peoples,
we shall, / feel confident, conduct
our operations as belligerents without
passion and ourselves observe with
proud p,nctiIiousness the principles
of right and of fair play we profess
to be fighting for.
Il have said nothing Of the govern.
ments allied with the imperial gov
eminent of Germany because they
have not made war upon us or chal-
lenged us to defend cur right and our
honor. The Auslro-Hungarian govern
ment has, indeed. avowed its unquali-
fled Endorsement and acceptance OF
the reckless and lawless submarine
warfare adopted now without disguise
by imperial government, and 1t has
therefore not been possible for this
government to receive Count Tarnow-
ski, the ambassador recently accredit-
ed TO this government by the imperial
and roya, government of Australian
gary; but that government has not
actually engaged in warfare against
citizens OF the United States on the
seas, and l take the liberty, for the
present at least. of postponing de-
cision of our relations with Vienna.
We enter this war only where we are
clearly forced into it because there
are no other means Of defending our
rights.
1T will be all the easier for us to
conduct ourselves as belligerents in
high spirit of right and fairness be-
cause we act without animus, not in
enlnity towards a people or with the
desire to bring any injury or disadvan
tage upon them, but only in armed op
position to an irresponsible govern
ment which has thrown aside all con
siderations OF humanity and of right
and is running amuck.
To Punish DisloyaIty.
I'VE are. let me say again. the sin
cere friends OF the German people, and
shall desire nothing so much as the
early establishment of intimate rela'
tions of mutual advantage between VI
however hard It may be for them,
for the time being, to believe that this
is spoken from our hearts. We pave
borne with their present government
through all these bitter months be.
cause of that exercising a
patience and fOrbearance which would
otherwise have been impossible.
I'VE shall, happily, still have an op'
portunity 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 II
towards all who are in fact loyal to
their neighbors ard to the government
in the hour of test. They are, most OF
them, as true and loyal Americans az
il 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.
IF there should be disloyaity. il will
be dealt with with a firm hand of stern
repression: but. il it lifts its head at
all it will lift it only here and there
and without cOuntenance except from
a lawless and malignant few.
1T is distressing and oppressive
duty, gentlemen. of the Congress,
which | have performed in thus adj
dressing you There are, it may DO
many months of fiery trial and sacri.
flee ahead of Us.
ut is fearful thing to lead this
great, peaceful country into war. into
the most terrible and disastrous OF
all wars, civilization itself seeming
to be in the balance, but the right is
more precious than peace. and We
shall fight for the things which we
have always carried nearest our
hearts-for democracy. for the right