The Sentinel=record., 1917-12-11
APPEAL ID REASON
 ESPOUSES THE WAR
PRESIDENTS DEFINITE STATE MENT OF WAR AIMS WINS
 OVER THE SOCIALIST ORGAN
Editor, in Making Announcement, De- clares He Cannot Understand What Excuse There Remains for German Socialists to Support the Kaiser.

Girard Kan, Dec 1o-The Appeal to Reason, pioneer socialist organ in the United States, .tas espoused the War of Defense of the United States and the allies against Prussan mili- tarism, according to statement here tonight by Louis Kopelin. editor of the paper
 President Wilson's clear and deri- nite statement of war aims before congress last Tuesday is mainly re- sponsible for the Appeal to Reasons espousal of the war" the statement said
 Beginning with December 22 the name of the paper will be changed to The New Appeal, "to more distinct lively conform to it's broader national and internal policy" the statement said
 Socialists are S.sorously opposed to imperialism continued Mr Rope lm's statement, and while they never suspected the motive of America. they were not so sure of some influential elements in the allied government Until the president made his address there was no specific statement as to the purposes of the allies after Prus , sian militarism had been crushed
 We eontepded that such state ment was timely even though 'ae war was not yet dicisively won The fact that the prussians were silent on the terms Of peace was no argument that we should also sidestep that question In dealing with enlightened peoples frankness is required. The old school of doplomacy, however, for i bade discussion of this subject and in spite of the entreaties for a statement Cn the part of the worlds liberals and | socialists no statement was forth om- | ing,
 | "lt was this refusal to state the aims of the war that complicated the situa- 1 ton in Russla It gave the German agents q chance 10 islander the cause of the allies But, fortunately, Presi- dent Wilson does not follow preced- ents and he realized that a restate ment of the aims of the war was de-
 sirable The results have been that the cause of the allies has been
 greatly strengthened. There is even
 yet hope that this splendid statement
 is not too late to influence the Rus
 sian situation Now that there is no
 longer just suspicion against the
 cause of the allies and Germany is lstill silent as to Belgium and the other
 territory she has invaded and devas- tated. socialist cannot do anything
 else but vigorously support the side
 which stands for right and justice
 The Appeal to fteason stands for
 democracy and to be consistent 1t
 must uphold the present world bat tie for democracy.
 T cannot understand what excuse l their remains for the German social ists to support the kaiser now that the defense of the Fatherland ar2u- ! ment has been so neatly disposed ot l by President Wilson. The only na- | tons that are fighting war of de- 1 fense are the allies. A glance at the military map will easily prove that.
 The Appeal to Reason was founded in 1895 and long has been one of the stronges: mouthpieces of socialist sentiment, 1t, according to Mir Rope 1 lin. has a greater circulation than ali the other American socialists papers
 published in the English language 1 combined.