The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-01-25

culy aim. He hoped to secure this by a
league Of peace, and he not only spoke in
favor of such league, but he is trying
to induce the American Senate to take
the steps necessary to give effect to It,
II would not be right to regard this pro-
posal as something altogether Utopian.
| "You know that almost up to our own
day duelling continued, and just as the
settling of private disputes by the sword
has now become unthinkable, so, think,
we may hope, that the time viii come
when all the nations of the world will
play the part which Cromwell described
as his life work--to act as constable and
keep peace. That time will come hope.
"But this whole subject is not an abb
stract question for the future. 1t is
question of life and death now, In iudg-
ing whether that result can be secured by
his methods, 1t is impossible for us to
forget the past. For generations humane
men, men of good will among all nations
have striyen by The Hague convention,
by peace conferences and by all other
means to make war impossible, or at
least to mitigate the horrors OF war.
When war comes, by what means can
these barriers built up against barbaristh
be- made effective? They cannot be pre-
served by the belligerents. if any Of them
choose to ignore them. 1t is only from
neutral states that effective sanction can
be given to them.
"What happened? At the very out.
break of the war the Germans swept
aside every one of these barriers. They
tore up treaties which they had them
selves solemnly signed. They strewed
mines in the open sea. They committed
every atrocity on sea and land against
The Hague convention which they had
themselves signed. They made war on
women and children. They destroyed
neutrafs as ruthlessly as they did their
enemies. They are at this moment driv
ing the population OF conquered terrific
ries into slavery, and, worse even than
that, they are making some OF the sub
iects OF their enemies take up arms
against their own country.
"All this has been done, and no neutral
power has been able to stop 1t. No nen
trai power. indeed, has made amy protest
against IT, We must then take other9
means to secure the future peace Of the
world
1--WE have rejected The German offer to
enter into negotiations, not from lust Of /
conquest or desire for shining victories |
We have rejected it, not, from spirit of /
or desire for revenge. |
but because peace now would mean a I
peace based on victory. 1t would be a |
peace which would leave the military I
machine unbroken, with the halo of sue
cess surrounding it, It would leave the
control Of that machine in the hands Of
The same men who for generation pre-
pared for war, who would make the same
again and who would choose
their own time to plunge the world into
the horrors which we are now enduring.
"0ur aim is the same as President Will +
sons. What he is longing for we are
lighting for. our sons and brothers are Il
-isking their lives for, and we mean to
secure it. The hearts of the people of /,
his country are longing for peace; we
ire praying for peace, for peace which Il
will bring back to Us in safety those who
Ire fighting our battles, and a peace
which win mean that those who viii not /.
'ome back have not laid down their lives
n vain"