Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1917-04-06

s. , = 2 1000 $500. -
purpose ami their honor steady to q
common end and prefer the interests
Of mankind TO any narrow interest Of
their own.
Does not every American feel that
assurance has been added to our hope
for the future peace of the world by
the wonderful and heartening things
that have been happening within the
last few weeks in Russia? -
Russia was known by those who
knew it best to have been always in
fact democratic at heart, in all the
vital habits of her thought, in all the
intimate relationships of her people
that spoke their natural instinct, their
habitual attitude towards life.
"The autocracy that crowned the
summit Of her political structure. long
as it had stood and terrible AZ was
the reality of its power, was not In
fact Russian in origin, character or
purpose; and now it has been shaken
of and the great, generous Russian
people have been added in all their
naive majesty and might to- the forces
that are fighting for freedom in the
world, for justice and for peace. Here
is fit partner for a league Of honor.
Prussia Not Our Friend.
zone of the things that has served
to convince US that the Prussian autoc-
racy was not and could never be our
friend is that from the very outset Of
the present var it has filed our unsus.
pecting communities and even our Of
fees Of government with spies and set
criminal intrigues everywhere afoot-
against our national unity of council.
our peace within and without, our in
dustries and our commerce. .-.-.-.
Indeed it Is now evident that its
spies were here even before the war
began; and it is unhappily not a mat
ter Of conjecture, but a fact proved in
our courts Of justice that the intrigues
which have more than once come per-
ilously near to disturbing the peace
and dislocating the industries of the
country have been carried on at the
instigation, with the support, and even
under the personal direction of official
agents of the imperial government &C.
credited to. the government Of the
United States.
Even in checking these things and
trying to extirpate them we have
sought to put the most generous in
possible upon them be.
cause we knew that their source lay,
not in any hostile feeling or purpose
Of the German people towards us
(who were, no doubt, as ignorant Of
them as we ourselves were), but only
In the selfish designs of government
that did what it pleased and told its
people nothing.
"But they have played their part in
serving to convince us at last that that
government entertains no real friend
ship for us and means to act against
our peace and security at its convent
ence.
Stern Repression for DIsIoyal.
IF there should be dihloyalty, it
will be dealt with with firm hand OF
stern repression; but, If it lifts its
head at all, it will lift 1t only here and
here and without countenance except
rom lawless and malignant few.
1T is distressing and oppressive
lIty, gentlemen of the congress, which
have performed in thus addressing
you. There are, it may be, many
months of fiery trial and sacrifice
lhead of us.
ut is a fearful thing to lead this
,reat peaceful country into war, into
he most terrible and disastrous of
Ill wars, civilization itself seeming to
,e in the balance.
But the right is more precious
han peace and we shall fight for the
Kings which we have always carried
learest our hearts-for democracy, for
he right of those. who submit to au-
hority to have voice in their own
for the rights and liber.
les of small nations, for a universal
dominion OF right by such a concert
# free peoples as shall bring peace
nd safety to all nations and make
he world itself at least free.
ITO such a task we can dedicate
ur lives and cur fortunes. everything
hat we are and everything that we
ave, with the pride of those who
now that the day has come when
america is privileged to spend her
lood and her might for the principle
hat gave her birth and happiness and
he peace which she has treasured.
'od helping her, she can do no oct"