Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1917-04-06

on in the old, unhappy days wher
peoples were nowhere consulted BY
their rulers and wars were provoked
and waged in the interest of dynas.
ties or Of little groups of ambitious
men who were accustomed to use
their fellow men as pawns and tools
"Self-governed nations do not MI
their neighbor states with spies, OF
set the course of intrigue to brine
about some critical posture Of AZ
fairs which will give them an oppor-
tunity to strike and make conquest.
Such designs can be successfully
worked only under cover and where
no one has the right to ask ques-
tions.
Tells Of Spy Plots.
"Cunningly contrived plans of de-
ception or suggestion, carried, 1t may
be, from generation to generation,
can be worked out and kept from
the light only within the privacy Of
courts or behind the carefully guard
ed condolences of narrow and privi-
legged class. They are happily i'm
possible where public opinion COM
mands and insists upon full informa-
ton concerning all the nations at
fairs.
"A steadfast concert for peace can
never be maintained except by q
partnership of democratic nations.
No autocratic government could be
trusted to keep faith within it or OBJ
serve its covenants. 1t must be a
league of honor. a partnership of
opinion. Intrigue would eat it's
vitals away; the plottings of inner
circles who could plan what they
would and render account to no one
would be a corruption seated at it's
very heart. Only free peoples can
hold their purpose and their honor
steady to common end and prefer
the interests of mankind to any mar
row interest of their own.
docs not every American feel
that assurance has been added to our
hope for the future peace Of the
world by the wonderful and hearten-
ing things that have been happening
within the last few weeks in Russia?
Condemns Prussian Aut0cracy.
Russia was known by those who
knew best. to have been always In
TACT democratic at heart, in all the
vital habits of her thought. in all the
intimate relationships Of her people
hat spoke their natural instinct.
heir habitual attitude towards life.
THE autocracy that crowned the
Of her political structure,
ong as 1t had stood and terrible q
vas the reality Of its power. was not
n fact Russian In origin. character
'r purpose; and now 1t has been
'haken on and the great. generous
Russian people have been added In
III their native majesty and might
o the forces that are fighting for
'reedom in the world, for justice and
or peace. Here is q At partner for
! league of honor.
Zone of the things that has served
% convince US that the Prussian au-
:ocracy was. not and could never be
'ur friend is that from the very OUT
yet of the present war it has filled
our unsuspecung communities and
even our offices of government with
'pies and set criminal intrigues ev-
srywhere afoot against our national
unity of council, our peace within
md without, our industries and our
commerce.
Ohlcials Directed Spies.
Indeed 1t is now evident that its
spies were here even before the war
began; and it unhappily il not mat
.er Of conjecture, but fact proved
n our courts of justice, that the in
:rigues which have more than once
come periously near to disturbing
he peace and dislocating the indus
.ries of the country have been car
led on at the instigation, with the
support, and even under the personal
direction of official agents of the i'm
,erial government accredited to the
government of the United States.
Even in checking these things
md trying to extirpate them we have
ought to put the most generous in
expectations possible upon them. be-
ause we knew that their source lay,
lot in any hostile feeling or purpose
# the German people towards US
who were. no doubt as ignorant Of
hem as we ourselves were), but only
n the selfish designs of a govern
nent that did what it pleased and
old its people nothing. But they
AVE played their part in serving
o convince us at last that that gov
entertains no real friend
hip for us and means to act against
'ur peace and security at its conve-
Hence. That 1t means to stir up en-
'mies against US at our very doors,