Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-12-04

lean people and they have right to
know whether their purpose is sure.
They desire peace by the overcoming
of evil, by the defeat once and for all
of the sinister forces that interrupt
peace and render it impossible, and
they wish to know how closely thought
runs with theirs, and what Saction we
propose. They are impatient with those
who desire peace by any sort Of COM
promise-deeply and Indignantly i'm
patient, but they will be equally i'm
patient with us If we do not make it
plain to them what our detectives are
and what we are planning to win by
arms.
Germany Without Conscience.
Il believe that speak for them whea
I say two things: First, that this in
tolerable thing which the masters
of Germany have shown as the ugly
face, the menace Of combined intrigue
and force which we now see so clearly
as the German power, thing without
conscience or honor or capacity for
covenanted peace, must be crushed and
II 1t is not utterly brought to an end,
at least shut out from the friendly in.
tercourse Of the nations; and secon~,
that when this thing and its power arc
indeed defeated and the time comes
that we can discuss peace-when the
German people have spokesmen whose
word we can believe and when those
spokesmsn are ready in the name Of
their people to accept the common
judgment of the nations as to what
shall henceforth be the basis of law
and of covenant Of the life Of the
world-we shall be willing and eiad
to pay the full price for peace and pay
1t ungrudgingly We know what that
price will be. It will be full, impair
tial justice@justice done at every point.
and to every nation the final settle
ment must affect our enemies as wen
as our friends.
Voices Of Humanity Heard.
You catch with me the voices Of
humanity that are in the air. They
grow daily more audible. more articu-
late, more persuasive and they come
from the hearts of men everywhere.
They Insist that the war shall not md
In vindicative action Of fany kind; that
no nation nor people shall be robbed
or punished, because the irresponsible
OF a single country have done deep ah1
abominable wrong. It is this thought
that has been expressed in the form
ula, no annexati0ns, no contributions,
no punitive indemnities.' Just because
this crude formula expresses the in
stinctive Judgment as to right of plain
men everywhere 1t has been diligently
made use Of by the masters Of German
intrigue to lead the people Of Russia
astray and the people Of every other
country their agents could reach, in
order that premature peace could be
brought about before autocracy can be
taught its Anal lesson and the peoples
Of the world put in control Of Their
own destinies.
Justice at Wars End.
But the fact that an idea has been
put into an unjust use is no reason
why right use should not be made Of
it. Let it be said against autocracy
that 1t must be shown its false claims
to power and leadership in the world
Not until that has been done can right
be set up as arbiter and ace-maker
among the nations. But when that has
been done-as God willing, 1t assured
ly will be-we shall at least be free to
do an unprecedented thing and this Is
the time to arow our purpose to do It.
We shall be free to base peace on gen.
erosity and justice to the exclusion OF
all selfish claims to advantage. even
on the part Of victors.
Win War First.
LET there be no misunderstanding.
Our present and immediate task is to
win the war and nothing shall turn us
aside from 1t until 1t is accomplished.
Every power and resource we possess,
whether Of men, money or materials Is
being devoted, and will continue to be
devoted to that purpose until 1t IS
achieved.
Those who desire to bring peace
about before that purpose is achieved,
/ counsel to carry their advice else
where. We will not entertain 1t. We
shall regard the war as won only whe'l
the German people say to US thru pro-
perly accredited representatives that
they are ready to agree to q settlements
based on justice and sreparation OF
wrongs their rulers have done. They
have done a wrong to Belgium which
must be repaired, they have established
powers over other lands and peoples
than their own: over the great empire
Of Austria-Hungary. over Turkey, ana
within Asia-which must be relin-
rquished.
Germany Throws Away Peace.
"Germany's success by skill, by In
siustry, by knowledge, SJ' c::ternrtse we
did not grudge OF oppose hut admired
rather. She had built up for herself
real empire " trade and influence, Sc
cured by the peace Of the world. We
we're content to abide the rivalrieS Of
manufacture, science and commerce
that were involved for us IN her sue
cess, and siaut, or fall az we had or
did not .nvc the brains to surpass
Her.
'.But at the moment she had won
her triumphs Of peace she threw them
away to establish in their stead what
the world will. no longer permit to be
established, the dominance Of arms.
Psaes Must Remedy Wrong.
THE peace we make must remedy
that wrong. II must deliver the once
happy lands Of Belgium and northern
France from the Prussian menace. but
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