The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-22
ATT0RNEY-GEHtRA[
SPEAKS FOR j. S. IN
WARMING TRAITORS
Gregory Points Ont How DisIoyaIty
WIN Be NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Ger
many's Dtabolicai Schemes
ByATHoakAs w, GREGORY

Attorney Gen sral o ftheU nited States
The sporadic activities OF few agi-
tarors who. led by good or bad motives
seek to hamper our work in the war
justify me as the chief law officer OF
the executive branch of the govern
mont in calling attention TO the duties.
moral and legal, of all persons owing
tenn porary o rpermanent allegiance to
the United States
The German government began this
war by a contemptuous breach OF its
formally plighted faith made in so.efn n
treaty and from the beginning until
now has more than made good this
omnibus earnest of its intention and
temper. The president has shown us
how. one by one, as opportunity offer
ed. the safeguards which civilization
has been able during the centuries to
throw around neutrals and the non
fighting people of warning nations
were ruthlessly torn down: how pa
tient and long suffering remonstrance
and request were met by fair words
ard fairer promises made only to be
broken
We all know AZ but sober fact, plain
~ stated. that the imperial govern
ment has allowed no rule of war, no
principle OF civilization. no constdera-
ton or humanity, no teaching of
Christianity to stand between It and
the working out OF its Illegal purposes.
For half q century that government
has schemed and prepared to dorni-
nate the world by blood and iron"
For half q century the officials of the
imperial government. from the kaiser
down, including even the teachers of
their children. have prostituted the
minds OF their youth until the wnc4e
people has been led to liberation. If
not approval. OF the hideous outrages
and barbartties practiced by that row.
eminent In this war.
While yet we were neutral. s4ru1-
Cling to keep free from the conflict,
the Representatives OF that government.
In this country planned 10 destroy cur
factories and our railroads. forged our
pubic papers. deceived us when con-
violated our hospitality and
our sovereignty. while they plotted
against our territorial integrity; they
deliberately and with malice and at
fronting forewarning drowned our
helpless women and babes and declar-
I'd public holiday that their own
innocent children might celebrate the
German System Diabolical.
They have bombarded unfortihed |
owns and bombed the unprotected |
ZONES OF their foes. taking their to-, |
u wounded and dead from the aged |
ma fnnrm, the young and the help |
ess. They have made barren desert I
u the garden spots OF the earth; they /
rave needlessly pillaged and wilfully i
burned towns; they have reduced to /
layery men. women and children: |
hey have wrecked and torn asunder 7
antilles with system diabolical In
Is efiiciS cy: they have wantonly de- /
LED and DESTROYED the temples OF God.
They have done all of these things
hat they might strike terror into the
learts of men SO as more easily to
onquer and rule them.
As the war have gone on, the ulti-
aate aim Of the imperial government
les become mere and more clear, +,
Drunk with the sense of its own pow
r and ita asserted superiority, it has
roposed to secure a dominating posi- 4