The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-01-01
THE ISSUE OF PEACE.


II public sentiment in this country,
in respect Of the European war stu
alton which is rapidly developing to.
ward crisis, Is to be based upon an
intelligent conception OF the facts,
it is important that the vital moves
and their significance in the tremend-
GUS drama which Is now being enact
ed be kept constantly in mind.
The "alOofness" from foreign diplo'
macy and intrigue which has been
the boast Of these United States
from the day of their independence
came to an abrupt end on Monday,
Dec. Is, 1916, when President Wilson,
responding to Germany's plea for a
peace conference "for the sake OF
humanity" sent note to each of the
belligerent nations asking them, "for
the sake Of humanity" andsin the in
terest of the future peace Of the
world, to lay their cards face up on
the table and tell each other and the
neutral nations, what they were fight
' ing for.
Whether for good or for evil, this
act of the president made the Unit
ed States an actor in the tragic dra-
ma which for twenty-nine months has
oonvulcod Enrono
President Wilson is not the United
States; the few hundred men who sit
in the senate and the house of repre-
sentatives are not the United States.
The hundred million men, women
and children who make up the sum
total of our population are the Unit
ed States.
The humblest reader of these lines
is as apt to be touched in his most
intimate life by the impending crisis
in the world war as the proudest and
most powerful. T. T..
That is why it is so important that
all of US make every effort to find the
truth and to bring to bear Mpon the
truth all that we have of courage and
intelligence.
The issue Of peace or continuation
of the war, which is now hanging in
the balance, will ,be4 decided , in the
near future The most vital. interests
of the people of the United States, as
we'll as the, peoples of the fighting ma
tions, are concerned with hits deci
,s.,, So. then, when we look at the peace
side of the shield, we see the United
q STATES a 5jatsttidfpying& ss!positions which
represents a complete reversal Of the
fundamental policies which have guild
ed 1t in respect of it's relations with
the other nations, during the, 140
years of it's life as an independent ma,
ton.
The future of our country will be
bound up with the future of every
other country. 1t is not too much to
say that this will be the most mo-
mentous event in the development OF
our national life-an event fraught
with the most tremendous possibili-
ties for good or evil to every man,
woman and child and to the unborn
generations. -,
Under the conditions which will rap
idly develop MT 2. :oniy in the continen.
tai battle fronts, but also upon the
sea, it would seem that nothing short
of miracle can long keep the United
States and the other neutral nations
in the position of neutrality which
they have occupied during the past
twenty nine months with the greatest
difficulty.
Far be it from us to unnecessarily
alarm our peace loving readers. But
we would be falling in our duty if we
did not do our part to bring them
which not only may be, but are prob
ably impending.
Probably nothing that any of us or
all of can do can in the slightest de-
gree change the course of these
events.
But the questions which these
events are going to force upon the
citizens of this republic for decision
are of such supreme importance, that
those of US who fail to take advan-
tase Of every opportunity to inform
ourselves of what is going on in the
world, and its significance in relation
to America, are Sinking our respon-
sibilities.