The Tomahawk., 1917-11-08


to ask questions. Cunningly contrived
plans OF deception or aggression, car
ried, 1t may be from generation TO gen
Grafton, can be worked out and kept
from the light only within the privacy
Of courts or behind the carefully guard
legged class. They are happily impo"si.
BILE where public opinion commands ana
insists upon full information concern
ing all the nations affairs.
A steadfast concert for peace can
never be maintained except by a part
nership OF democratic nations. NO au-
tOcratic government could be trusted
to keep faith within 1T or observe Its
covenants. 1t must be league OF
henor, a partnership of opinion. In
trigue would eat Its vitals away; the
plOttinKs Of inner circles who could
plan what they would, and render ac-
count to no one, would be corruption
seated mt its very heart. Only free peo-
pie can hold their purpose and tneir
honor steady to q common end ana
prefer the Interest of mankind 10 any
narrow interest of their own.
Does not every American feel that
assurance has been added to our nope
for the future peace OF tne wot t,.; ns
the wonderful and heartening things
that have been happening within the
last few weeks in Russia? Russia was
known by those who knew her pest
to have been always In fact democratic
at heart In all vital habits OF her
thought, in all the intimate relation
ships OF her people that spoke their
natural instinct, their hab:tual attitude
toward life. The autocracy that crown
ed the summit Of her political struc-
ture. long as it had stood and terrible
as was the reality OF its power wa"
not I'm fact Russian in origin, cnarac-
ter, or purpose, and now 1T has been
generous
Sim people have been added, In all
their native majesty and might, TO the
forces that are fighting for freedom IN
the world, for justice, and for peace.
Here is a fit partner for league OF
honor.
One OF the things that have serseo
to convince us that the Prussian auto
cracv vvas not and could never be our
friend is that from the very outset OF
the present war 1T has filled our un-
susDecting communities, and even our
Offices of government, with spies anu
set criminal intriEues everywhere a1oot
against our national unity OF COUNSEL
our peace within and without, our IN.
dustries, and our commerce. lndeed IL
IL now evident that its spies were mere
even before the war began ana II !"
unhappfly net n matter OF conjecture
but a fact proven in our courts OF JUS
tice, that the intrigues which nave
more than once come perilously near 10
disturbing the peace and dlslocat1nx
the induatries of the country, have been
carried on ut the instigation, with the
support, and even under the personal
directions Of ofhclal agents OF the I'M
perial government accredited to the
government Of the United States.
Even in checking these things and
trying to extirpate them we nave
sought to put the most generous inter-
them. because
we knew that their source lay not In
any hostile feeling or purpose OF the
German people toward us (vvho WERE
NO doubt, rs ignorant OF them NJ we
ourselves were), but only In the selnsn
designs Of q government that did what
it pleased and told Its people notnins'
But they have played their part In serv-
ing to convince us Mt last that that
government entertains NO real friend
ship for us and means to act against
our peace and security Mt Its conVen1-
ence. That 1T means to stir up enemies
against us at our very doors' the IN
tercepted note to the German minister
at Mexico City 10 eloquent evidence.
We are accepting this challenge of
hostile PURPOSE because we know that
in such a government, following such
methods, we can never have fr1end,
and that i'm the presence of its organ
lied power, always lying In walt 10
accomplish we know not what pur-
nose. there can be NO assured security
for the democratic governments OF the
world. We are now about to accept
the gage Of battle with the natural zoe
to liberty, and SHALL If necessary, spend
the whole force of the nation to check
and nullify it's pretensions and Its pow
er. We are glad now that we see the
facts with NO veil OF false pretense
about them, to fight thus for the ulti-
mate peace of the world and for the
liberation Of its peoples, the German
peoples included, for the rights OF ma
lions. great and small, and the priV1-
lege OF men everywhere to choose their
way of life and Of obedience.
The world must be made safe for
democracy. Its peace must be planted
mon the tested foundations OF political
liberty. We have no selfish ends to
serve. We desire no conquests, no
dominion We seek NO indemnities Tor
Ourselves, NO material compensation
for the sacriAces 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
freedom Of nations can make them.
Just because we>fght without rancor
and without selfish object. seeking
nothing for ourselves but what we shall
wish to share with all free people, we
shall, feel confident, conduct our oper-
ations as belligerents without passion
and ourselves observe with proud pune
tilio the principles of right and Of fair
play we profess to be fighting for
I have said nothing Of the govern
ments allied with the Imperial gov
eminent of Germany because they have
not made war upon us or challenged
us to defend our right and our honor.
The Austro-Hungarian government has.
indeed. avOwed its unqualified indOrse-
ment and acceptance of the reckless
and Iavvless submarine warfare, adopt
ed now without disguise by the 1mper-
ial German government, and 1t has
therefore not been possible for this
government to receive Count TarnoSv-
ski, the ambassador recently accredited
to this government by the Imperial and
Royal government of Austria-Hungary;
but that government has not actually
engaged In warfare against citizens OF
the United States ON the seas, and
take the liberty, for the present Mt
least, Of postponinE q discussion of our
relations with the authorities at VI
emma. We enter this war only where
We are clearly forced into 1T because
there are no other means OF defending
our rights.
1t will be all the easier for US to