The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-04-20

Continued Frcm Pare onel
by Judge C =. AmidOa had taken
place.
In administrative the cath Of al
legiance, Judge AmidOn declared the
time had come when every American
must pledge anew his loyalty TO the
nation. The pledge he administered
follows:
%Ws. and each Of ~. do this day
register solemn vow that We will
bear true allegiance 10 the Unit
Cd States ct America: that We will
Give no aid o. comfort TO It's ere
mies. and that Nss will faithfully
support ito constitution and lava
in thought. word and deed"
Mr. BANGS Address.
81 have heard IL said that it IN un-
necessary 20 hold meetings Of this ma
ture. that We all are patriotic, and
that everybody Il behind the preSi-
dent. Just as sure as that running
battle from Concord to Bunker Hill
was fought Ia years ago today, just
as sure al there were men then en-
gagged in opposition TO the war. and
not only tried TO prevent 1t but TO give
aid and comfort to the enemy, we
ind them today. not only throughout
the United States. but in our own
state OF North Dakota, We find them
- -
1T Is to give all an opportunity to
come forward and pledge anew their
allegiance and declare their patrio-
tism, that these meetings are held.
and that we may spot those who fall
into the class have described"
The great principle OF liberty and
civic responsibility is bound up in the
world war. and in the American par
ticipation against Germany, said the
speaker. Liberty, the freedom Of the
people, has caused conflict after con-
fiict, and the United States stands
foremost with liberty as a basis prin-
ciple. In the Civil war, in the war to
free Cuba, liberty was the motive.
Paeifsts Real Menace.
Before the war there were q class
OF men In this country. many OF them
They were opposed to anything that
might tend to bring this country into
the war. Suppose a little group OF
neighbors were residing In a COM
munity, surrounded by q band OF
marauders. And suppose one of the
neighbors sent word out to the mar
auders that we were unarmed, and
that we wouldn't fight. Wouldn't the
marauders assail that town? The
same holds true with respect to the
nation, and say the pacifists hurried
US into this war.
"Now the war Is here, and We no
longer are pro-German, or pro-allies.
We are Americans. or we are traitors
at heart.
II have heard heard it said that
there are q lot Of good Americans
with Germany in this affair say
there are no good Americans with
Germany.
"At a meeting similar to this, which
attended, heard a man, formerly
very pro-German. declare that we,
speaking for the Germans. were
not on the penitent seat; we have
been put to the acid test. What acid
test? There is no acid test in America.
German "Senss of Humor."
sense Of humor,' this speaker con-
tinued," said Mr.. Bangs. They are the
men who could not distinguish be-
tween England's action in hauling our
ships into her harbors, and taking her
cargo into the prize courts and Ger
many's action in sinking unarmed
ships, unwarned by the submarine.
They could not distinguish the diff
ference between England, Russian and
French action in Greece, which they
liberated and set on her feet, and the
German treatment Of Belgium. 1t re-
quires some sense Of humor to do
that.
'The other day I picked up copy
Of the paper formerly known as The
Fatherland, and which had declared
it's allegiance to America in the con-
fiict with Germany. wished to see for
myself If the conversion really had
occurred. But I found an editorial
dealing with the high cost Of living,
attempting to stir up discomfort among
the American people, and proclaiming
the average living costs for goods
alone were $7.52 month more. and
that the costs will continue to rise, If
1t were not for the fact that the Ger
man submarines are keeping foodstuffs
at home That is the position of that
loyal American paper, which holds we
should thank Germany for keeping
down the cost of living