The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1917-04-12
THB PRESIDENT ADDRESS
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organized power always lying in wait
to accomplish, we know not what pur.
pose, there can be no assured security
for the democratic governments OF
the world.
The Gauge of Battle.
eve are now about to accept gauge
of battle with this natural foe to
liberty and shall, if necessary, spend
the whole force of the nation to check
and nullify it's pretensions and its
power. We are glad, now that we see
the facts, with no veil of false pre-
tense about them, to fight thus for
the ultimate peace of the world and
for the liberation of it's peoples, the
German peoples included; for the
rights of nations great and small and
the privilege of men everywhere to
choose their way of life and of obe-
dience. The world must be made safe
for democracy. Its peace must be
planted upon the trusted foundations
Of political liberty.
eve have no selfish ends to serve.
We desire no conquest, no dominion.
We seek no indemnities for our
selves, no material compensation for
the sacrifices we shall freely make.
We are but one of the champions of
the rights of mankind. We shall be
satisfied when those rights have been
made as secure as the faith and the
In
them.
"Just because we fight without ran
cor and without selfish objects, seek
ing nothing for ourselves, but what
we shall wish to share with all free
people, we shall, feel confident, con-
duct our operations as belligerents
without passion and ourselves observe
with proud punctilio the principles of
right and of fair play we profess to
be fighting for.
81 have said nothing of the gov
ernments allied with the Imperial
government of Germany because they
have not made war upon or challeng-
ed us to defend our rights and our
honor. The Austro-Hungarian gov
ernment has, indeed, avowed it's un-
qualified endorsement and acceptance
of the reckless and lawless submarine
warfare adopted now without dis
guise by the Imperial German gov
ernment and it has, therefore, not
been possible for this government to
receive Count Tarnowski, the ambas-
sador recently accredited to this gov
ernment, by the imperial and royal
government of Austria Hungary, but
that government has not actually en-
gagged in warfare against citizens of
the United States on the seas, and l
take the liberty, for the present at
least, of postponing a discussion of
our relations with the authorities al
Vienna. We enter this war only
where we are clearly forced into i,
because there ate no other means of
defending our rights.
Act Without Animus.
"It will be all the easier for us to
conduct ourselves as belligerents in
a high spirit of right and fairness be-
cause we act without animus, not in
enmity towards a people or with the
desire to bring any injury or disad-
vantage upon them but only in armed
opposition to an irresponsible govern
ment which has thrown aside all con-
siderations of humanity and of right
and is running amuck.
eve are, let me say, again the sin
cere friends of the German people,
and shall desire nothing so much as
the early re-establishment of intimate
relations of mutual advantage be-
tween us-however hard it may be
forthem, for the time being, to be-
lieve that this is spoken from our
hearts. We have borne with their
present government through all the
bitter months because of that friend
ship-exercising a patience and for
bearance which would otherwise have
been impossible. We shall happily,
still have an opportunity to prove that
friendship in our daily attitude and
actions toward the millions of men
and women of German birth and ma
tive sympathy who live amongst us
and share our life and we shall be
proud to prove it towards all who are
in fact loyal to their neighbors and
to the governmentin the hour of tes,
They are, most of them, as true and
loyal Americans as if they had never
known any other fealty or allegiance.
They will be prompt to stand with US
in rebuking and restraining the few
who may be of different mind and
purpose.
IF there should be disloyalty it
will be dealt with with a firm hand
OF stern repression, but if it lifts its
head at all, it will lift it only here
and there and without countenance
except from a lawless and malignant
few.
ut is distressing and oppressive