The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-14
Reveals Germany Fighting for
Plot of Years Incubation.
Belt of Military Power Across
Europe and Asia.
BUT ONE CHOICE FOR THE U. S.
Tear OF Mask OF Brute Force
or Let 1t Dominate.
America Forced to Fight in
Defense of Freedom, Justice.

Washington. June 14.-America is
at war in defense of our rights as
free people and of our honor as 4
sovereign government
President Wilson this afternoon
hus stated why America is fighting
in a speech solemnIy vibrant with
warning of the blood and suffering
the country must endure, but deep
with the conviction that the nation
fights for the right
The president spoke before a huge
throng Of government employees at a
Flag day observance.
The presidents address was a re-
conservation of Flag Day. 1t was
speech that stung in the bitterness of
his arraignmenJ of Germaby-not of
the German people, but of Germany's
autocrats. He pictured Germany's
military masters in sinister plor of
years of incubation reaching out, cor
rupting, intriguing, scneming to de-
ceive their own people and master the
people and powers of other smaller
nations, to throw a broad belt of
German military power and political
control across the very center of
Europe and beyond the Mediterranean
in the heart of Asia"
Austria but Dupe of Germany.
The president named Austria Hun
gary as the dupe of Germanys auto
Gratis; Bulgaria and Turkey their cats
paws. He earnestly inveighed against
any consideration of alleged German
peace feelers put out by those who
having set their net and reached the
zenith of their domination, now see
their power slipping and their sinister
plans about to come to naught. Like
wise, he bitterly assailed German pro-
papandists in the United States who
are seeking by insidious means to I'M
dermine the nation here at home.
America the president said, wars for
the first time across the seas because
the principles for which she now
fights are exactly those or which she
has waged every other victorious war
in her history and because she was
forced to fight 'in defense of our
rights as a free people and of our hon
or as a sovereign government"
For the Salvation of Nations.
For us there is but one choice" the
presidcnt solemnly concluded. I'VE
have made it, woe to the man or group
of men that seeks to stand in our way
in this day of high resolution when
every principle we hold dearest is to
be indicated and made secure for
the salvation of the nations. We are
ready to plead at the bar of history
and our flag shall wear a new lustre.
once more we shall make good with
to which we were born and a new
glory shall shine in the face of our
people
The Emblem of Unity.
The president said:
MY fellow citizens
we meet to celebrate Flag Day
becauI' this flag which we honor
and under which we serve is the en-
blem of unity-our power, our
thought and purpose as nation. 1t
l..
viii / we give it from generation to
generation. The choices are ours. 1t
floats in majestic silence above the
hosts that execute these choices
whether in peace or in war. And yet
tho silent, il speaks to us of the past
of the men and women who went be-
fore us and of the records they wrote
upon it. We celebrate the day of its
birth and from its birth until now il
has witnessed a great history, has
flowed on high in symbol OF Great
events, of the great plan of life
worked out by great people.
About to Join Battle.
I'VE are about to carry it into bat
tie to lift it where it will draw the
fire of our enemies. We are about tC
bid thousands. hundreds of thousands
it may be millions of our men. the
young, the strong. the capable men o.
the nation, to go forth and die be-
meath it in fields of blood far away
for some unaccustOmed thing, fol
something for which it has never
sought the fire before. American
armies We're never before sent acros.
the sea. Why are they sent now? Fol
some new purpose, for which thi!
great flag has never been carried be
fore. or for some old, familiar. heroi,
purpose, for which it has seen men
its own men, die on every battlefield
on which Americans have borne arm
since the Revolution?
These are questions which must b.
answered. We are Americans. We il
our turn serve America and can serv
her with no private purpose. We mus
use her flag as she has always use,
it. We are accountable at the bar o
history and must plead in utter frank
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