The Elk Mountain pilot., 1917-11-08

wish to share with all FREQ people. ws
shall. feel confident, conduct our opsr
ations az belligerents without passion
and ourselves observe with proud punc-
tilio the principles of right and of fair
play we profess to be fighting for.
1 have said nothing of the govern
ments allied with the Imperial gov
ernment of Germany because they have
not made war upon US or challenged
us to defend our right aAd our honor.
tndeed. avowed Its unqualified indorse-
nent and acceptance of the reckless
and lawiens submarine warfare. adopt
ed now without disguise by the Imper-
ial German government, and 1t has
therefore not been possible for this
government to receive Count TarnOw-
ski, the ambassador recently accredited
to this government by the Imperial and
Royal government Of fAustria-Hungary,
but that government has nOt actually
the United States the seas, and 1
take the liberty, for the present at
least. of postpOning . discussion of our
relations with the authorities at VI
enna. We enter this war only where
We are clearly forced into 1t because
there are no other means of defending
our rights.
1t will be all the easier for Ms to
conduct ourselves as belliEerents In .
high spirit of right and fairness be-
enmity toward q people with the
desire to bring any Injury or disad-
vantage upon them. hut only in armed
opposition to an irresponsible govern
ment which ha. thrown aside all con-
alterations Of humanity aad of right
and II running amuck.
We are, let me say again, the sim
cere friends 81 the German people, and
shall desire nothing 80 much the
early re-establishment of Intimate reIa-
Inn pR uAu al Inn h~t
however hard II may be for them for
the time being to believe that this is
spoken from our hearts. We have
borne with their present government
through all these bitter months be-
cnuse of thnt friendship, exercising .
patience and forbearnnce which would
otherwise have been impOssibIe.
We shall happily still have nm Op-
p6rtunlty to prove that friendship In
our ddily attitude and actions toward
the millions Of men and women of Ger
man birth and native sympathy who
live among ms and share our life, and
we shall he proud TO prove 1t toward
all who are in fact loyal to their neigh
bors 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 fea1ty or al
leKfnnce. They will be prompt to stand
with us In rebukinG and restraining
the few who may be of q dinercnt mind
loyalty, It will he dealt with with .
Arm hand of stern repressiont hut II
II lifts its head at all. II will lift II
only here and there and without coun-
tennnce except from . law:ess and
malignant few.
1t IL . distressing and oppressive duty,
gentlemen of the congress, which ]
have performed I'm thus addressing you.
There are, II may he, many moaths Of
aery trial and sacrifice ahead of ms.
II n fearful thing to lead this great.
peaceful people Into war, lntO the most
terrible and disastrous OF all wars, CIV
ilizntioa itself seeming to be in the
balance.
But the right II more precious than
peace. and we shall hEht for the things
which we have always carried nearest
our hearts-for democracy, for the
right of those who submit to authority
to have \ voice In their own Eovern-
meats. for the riGhts ard liberties of
small nations, for u universal domiaiea
Of right by sach . eoneert sf free peo-
PIE a. shatl bring peace and safety to
all nations aad make the world ltseh
at last free.
To sueh = task we can dedicate sar
lives and our fortunes, everything that
We are and everything that we have.
with the pride Of those whe know that
the day has come when America II
privileged to spesd her blood and her
might for the principles that gave her
birth and happiness and the peace
which she has treasured.
God helping her. she can d No ether.