The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-12-06
THE PRESIDENTS
GREAT MESSAGE
SYNOPSIS OF MESSAGE DELIv.
Erred TO HOUSES OF CON-
.GRESS TUESDAY
RINGING ADDRESS GIVES OUR STAND
Every Phase Of The Situation Is Con.
sidered In P%resentment OF
The Matter

The following is a synopsis of the
memorable document read to CON
gress:
Our object = is to win the war,
and We shall not slacken or suffer our.
selves to be diverted until it is won.
Every power and resource we
possess, whether of men, of money, or
of materials, will continue to be de-
voted to that purpose until it is
achieved.
Austria-Hungary is for the time be-
ing not her W mistress, but simply
the vassal of the German government.
We must meet its force with
our own, and regard the central pow
ers as but one. Turkey and Bulgaria
are mere tools and do not yet
stand in the direct path of our neccs-
sary action.
Germany's success by skill, by in
dustry, by enterprise, we did not
81 w. "a oPpOot. buS a tlIt III
ment when she had c~onspicuously won
her triumphs of peace she threw them
away to establish in their stead =
military and political domination by
arms.
If they (Germans) should still, af-
ter the war Is over, live under ambi.
tious and intriguing masters whom
the other people of the world could
not trust, it might be impossible to
admit them to the partnership of ma
lions which must hencefOrth guaran-
ty the worlds peace. That partner
ship must me a partnership Of peoples,
not a mere partnership of govern
ments. 1t might be impossible. also,
in such untoward circumstances to
admit Germany to the free economic
intercourse which must inevitably
spring out Of the other partnerships
of a real peace.
The thought Of the plain people
here and everywhere throughout the
world, the people who enjoy no priv
ilege and have very simple standards
of right and wrong is the air all gov
ernments must %henceforth breathe il
they would live.
We can discuss peace when the
German people have spokesmen whose
p.,n~l nv ~ hol;aun Wa choI1
regard the war as won only when the
German people say to US. through
properly accredited representatives.
that they are ready to agree to a set
Element based upon justice and the
r~eparation of the wrongs their rulers
have done. They have done a wrong
to Belgium which must be repaired.
They have established a power over
other lands and peoples which
must be re%linquished. 1t (peace) must
deliver the people of Belgium and
northern France from the Prussian
conquest and the Prussian menace
1t must also deliver the peoples of
Austro-Hungary, Of the Balkans, OF
Turkey, from the impudent and alien
domination Of Prussia.
The Russian people have bee pois-
oned by the very same falsehOods
that have kept the German people in
the dark and the poison has been adj
ministered by the very same hands.
The only possible antidote is the
truth.
l see men here and there fling
themselves in impotent d~isloyalty
against the calm, indomitable power
Of the nation. | hear men debate
peace who understand neither its ma
ture nor the way we may attain it.
-" They may be safely left to strut
their uneasy hour and be forgotten.
Legislation should be enacted defin-
ing as a criminal offense every wilful
violation Of the presidential procla-
nations relating to alien enemies.
SO Women as well as men should
be included under the terms OF the
acts placing restraints upo alien en-
emies. 1t is likely that as time goes
on many alien enemies will be will
ing to be fed and housed at the ex-
pense of the government in the deten-
ton camps and it would be the pur-
pose of the legislation | have suggest
ed to confne offenders among them In
penitentiaries and other similar insti-
t~utions, where they could be made 70
work as other criminals do.
The law of supply and demand has
been replaced by the law OF unre-
strained selfshness.
CONTINUED on Page FOur)