Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-07
I'M HAM AND PEACE.

The danger that the utterdnces VI "
single man in position OF prominence
NAV be mistaken for the sentiment OF
his whole country is illustrated effec.
tively in the case Of Senator Lewis on
Illinois-Jim Ham Of pink wnlsAe el
fame-and his remarkable speech IN
the senate pleading for serious consf
Iteration of Chancellor Mlchaens
peace talk.
few weeks ago, the reading pup
Tic in nations outside of Germany were
electrified by the fiery speech OF MAJ
4hias Erzberger, member of the Catno-
lie centrist party in the German relcn-
stag. He attacked Count Won Beth'
mann-Hollweg then chancellor, IN I'M
measured terms; scored the HoilWeg
no,icies and the U-boat campaign: oe-
handed that Germany adopt detlnlte
non-conquest peace terms, ana IN gen
eral declared for revision OF ,nn
Prlssian aims and war methods WHICH
would have left the entente little as a
basis for continuing the war
Erzberger was credited by the gem
eral public in America with represent
inc his party, one Of the strong minor
;tv organizations in the reichstas. he
vas credited with responsibility as
member of the reichstag and the i'm
preston was created that ne spoke
for a large portion Of the German
people. o,,,n.
ellie renudiated his declarations ana
nledsed fealty to the kaiser and ms
NOTICES. Erzberger was discfeoitea
by friends and foes alike, and those
81 the other nations who had taken
hone of active German dissatisfaction
from his outburst were disfllusloned.
Now comes Jim Ham, and IN cnar-
scteristic speech he demands that lhe
senate and the United States govern
ment accept Chancellor Michaens IN
snired interview as an invitation 10
consider peace on terms acceptable 10
the United States. And the disagree
able feature about the thing is that IN
Of America, where
Lewis ia known merely as a MEMBER
~ the United States senate. from one
~ the greatest states and from the
second city in the land, his remarks
must he construed by the uniutiated
reader as rejecting the sober )uog-
ment Of a large body Of loyal Amerl-
cans. 40
evils views. which he says are
based on the Michaelis speech, are as
Wild as his famous whiskers and as
roseate In hue. He declares that wnat
the kaiser's mouthpiece meant TO say
though he didn't say anything ike
a+-was that he proposed the restora-
tion of Belgium, Serbia and Rumania'
the return of Alsace-Lorralne 10
france and the return to Germany OIL
her African colonies.
Mlchaelis, Of course, meant 10 sus
rest the last named condition as a
mart of his ideas Of proper treaty,
hut had he limited at the others hsted
Nv Lewis he would have been sacrl.
1;ced before now to the quick anger OF
The iunkers and the indignation OF MS
patron.
Probably Lewis considers as mercy
a figure OF speech the chanceiiors IN
sistence, which Count Czernin echoed'
that the Teutonic powers would MAKE
peace only as victors.
OF course, Lewis colleagues IN inc
senate rejected his views with proper
indignation. They know Jim Ham ana
make the allowances they should make
for his irresponsibility and idiosyn-
crasies. 1t is regretttable that ne is
not known so we'll in Germany ana IN
other countries overseas.