The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1917-04-05

II for the alterations of it's peo-
pies, the German peoples inciuded:
for the rights Of nations great and
small and the privilege of men every
where to choose their way Of. life and
obedience. The world must be made
safe for democracy. It's peace must
be planted upon the trusted founda-
tons of political liberty.
We have no selfish n d to serve.
We desire 40 conquest, no dominion.
We seek no indemnities for ourselves.
no material compensation for the sac
rifices we shall freely make. We are
but one of the champions of the rights
of mankind. We shall be satisfied
when these rights have been made as
secure as the faith and the freedom
of the nations can make them.
Just because we fight without ran
cour and with selfish objects. seeking
nothing for ourselves but what we
shall wish to share as free peoples. we
shall, / feel confident, conduct our OPP
erations as belligerents without pas
sion and ourselves observe with proud
punctilio the principles of right and
of fair play we profess to be fighting
for.
No War on Austria.
/ have said nothing of the govern
ments allied with the imperial gov
eminent of Germany, because they
udNt IOL IidQc WAL upon us OF Cndl-
lenged us to defend our right and
our honor. The Austro-Hungarian
government has indeed avowed it's un-
qualified Endorsement and acceptance
of the reckless and lawless submarine
warfare adopted now without disguise
by the imperial German government
n 1t has therefore not been possible
for this government to receive Count
Tarnowski. the ambassador recently
accredited TO this government by the
imperial and royal government of
Austria-Hungary; but that govern
ment has not actually engaged in war
fare against citizens of the United
States on the seas n / take h lib
erty, for the present at least. of post
poning a decision Of our relations with
the authorities at Vienna. We enter
this val 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 a
high spirit of right and fairness be-
cause we act without animus. not in
enmity toward a people nor with the
desire to bring any injury or disad-
vantage upon them but only in armed
opposition to an irresponsible govern
ment which has thrown aside all con-
siderations Of humanity and of right
and is running amuck.
Friends OF German People.
We are, let me say again. the sin
cero friends of the German people
and sha desire nothing so much as
the early establishment of intimate
relations Of mutual advantage be-
tween us-however hard it may be
for them for the time being to be-
lieve that this is spoken from our
hearts. We "a borne with their
present government through all these
bitter months, because of his friend
ship-exercis;Gg a patience and for
~bearance which Would otherwise haye
been impossible, We shall, happily.
still have an opportunity to prove that
friendship in our daily attitude and
actions toward the millicns of men
and women of German birth and ma
tive sv--.patny who live mongst us
and share our life. and we shall be
proud to prove it toward all who are
In fact loyal to their neighbors and
to the government in the hour of test.
loyal Americans as L they had never
known any other fealty or allegiance.
They will he prompt to stand with us
in rebukirg ard restraining the few
who may be Of a different mind and
purpose. If there should be d%isloyal-
ty, il viii be dealt with with a firm
hand Of stern repression: hut if it lifts
it's hand at all it will lift it only here
! and there and without countenance,
except from a lawless and malignant
few.
1t is a distressing and oppressive
duty, gentlement of the Congress-,
which l have performed In thus ad-
dressing you. Their are, 1t may be,
many months of frey trial and sacri-
flee ahead of us. 1t is a fearful thing
to lead this great, peaceful country in
to war, into the most terrible and dis
astrous of all wars. civilization itself
seeming to be in the balance. But the
right is more precious han peace, and
we shall fight for the things which we
have always carried nearest to our
hearts-for democracy, for the right
of those who submit to authority to
have a voice in their own govern
ments, for the rights and Liberties of
small nations, for a universal domin-
ion of right by such a concert Of free
peoples as shall bring peace and safe
ty to all nations and make the world
itself at last free. To such q task
we can dedicate our ives and our for
tunes, everything hat we are and ev-
erything that We hav with the pride
of those who know that the day has
come when America is privileged to
| spend her blood n her might for the
principles that CAV her birth and
happiness n the peace which she
has treasured. God helping her, she
a do no other.