Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1917-04-13

But they have played their cart in |
serving to convince us at last that !
that government entertains no real |
friendship for us and means to act |
against our peace and security at its
convenience. That II means to stir up |
enemies against us at our very doors,
the intercepted note to the German
minister at Mexico City Is eloquent
evidence
Accept the CHALLENGE.
I'VE are accepting this challenge OF
hostile purpose because we know that
in such government, following such
methods, we can never have a friend;
and that in the presence of its organ.
lied power. always lying In wait to
accomplish we know not what purpose,
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, If necessary spend
the whole force of the nation to check
and nullify its pretensions and its pow.
er. We are glad now that we see the
facts with no veil of false pretense
about them, to fight thus for the ulti
mate peace of the world and for the
liberation of its peoples, the German
peoples included; for the rights of ma.
lions great and small and the privi-
lege of men everywhere to choose their
way of life and of obedience. The
world must be made safe for demo
cracy. Its police must be planted
upon the trusted foundations of po-
litical liberty.
we have no selfish ends to serve.
We desire no 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 those rights have been as Sc
cure 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 a free people, we
shall, | feel confident. conduct our
operations as belligerents without pas
sion and ourselves observe with proud
punctiliousness the principles OF right
and of fair play we profess to be fight
ing for.
II have said nothing Of the govern
ments allied with the imperial gov.
eminent of Germany because they
have not made war upon us or ohal-
lenged us to defend our rights and
our honor. The Austro-Hungarian
government has indeed avowed its UNI
qualified Endorsement and acceptance
of the reckless and lawlcss submarine
warfare adopted now without disguise
by the imperial German government,
and IL 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 Aus
tria-Hungary; but that government
has not actually engaged in warfare
against citizens of the United States
on the seas, and ! take the liberty
for the present, at least, of postpon
ing a decision of our relations with
the authorities at 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 a
HlBH VI Iibnl DS-
cause we act without animus, not in
enmity towards a people or 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.
Friend to German People.
1--WE 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
relations of mutual advantage between
us-however hard il 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.
cause OF that friendship-exercisin a
patience and forebedrance which
would otherwise have been impossible.
We shall, happily, still have an op.
portunity TO prove that friendship in
our daily attitude and actions toward
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
il towards all who are In fact loyal to
their neighbors and to the government
in the hour of test. They are, most OF
them, as true and loyal Americans as
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 different mind and purpose.
II there should be disloyalty, 1t will
be dealt with with a firm hand of
stern repression; but, II 1t lifts its
head at all, 1t will lift 1t only here and
there and without countenance except
from a lawless and malignant few.
1T is a distressing and oppressive
duty, gentlemen of the congress, which
have performed in thus addressing
you. There are, 1t may be, many
months OF fiery trial and sacrifice
ahead of us. 1t Is a fearful thing to
lead this great peaceful country into
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 than peace,
and we shall fight for the things
! ,yhich ua have ALWAYS carried nearest