The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-10-21

countrys call; but his cousin. son of Henry Hoffmaster, one of the German republicans of 1S4S, gave him Sl0O and saw him off, and told him he was fight ing for the liberty of the German people, also. 1 wonder which of you two, or any of the others up there who will fall, will be written first in the history or Dane county. He was only one of some 220O others, educated in first principles, to go to the front All of them and oth- CTS were inspired with the same ideals in advance of their country's call. He realized that the business of the United States is war. and that war is the busi- nesS of every individual l. in particu- lar. realize since his 1all that war IS my business.
 If you were a senator in Germany and doing the same for America as you are doing for the Hohenzollerns, you would face the firing squad. You say you are for free speech Is free speech virtue in battle? If you, as a senato have a license for free speech after war IS declared, everyone believing in an hereditary imperialstic form of govern ment, has the constitutional right, with impunity. to debate for the purpose of defeating America in this war, and so make innumerable sacrifices in vain, and tasten upon the world a dynasty which, oy reason of it's concentration of power, will rule and be the chief influence, in turmoil, until by evolution, the final plan of the First Divine Master prevails
 For thousands of years this contest be- tween the beast and spirit has waged, because in the Divine plan individual free election was incorporated As all the world Is now at war over the two sys- tems of government, it is the hour. All who are for the beast must taee the firing squad, now.
 It is the hour! One and one-half bil- ton people are arraigned in serried bat tie front against William and his sys- tenn. A hundred and fifty million, many by force, are on his side. The first have just arisen from the table, or been awak- ened from sleep. The opposing forces have secretely subjected all their accunl- ulations and culture and extended their propaganda for 40 years in preparation for this contest, and expected to win in 40 days, while those who awoke or arose from the table in hurried alarm, have defended parliamentary institutions to the extent of hundreds of billions of ac- cumulations and 5,000,0O0 of lives of the fourth year, and now have William begging for breath, ana Carl for peare and yet you, as tragedian and as a politician, willing to throw your country in the breech to save yourself would defeat the parliamentary idea. 1t was the only booking role open to you.
 One of the first principles of American institutions is jealousy of power. Our first patriots knew that it's protraction is abused. Yet we, in war. place in the hands of our executive more real power than rests with an imperial sovereign: but our executive is accountable to the people at the end of his term. But you, like dog snapping at the heels of the general, would make him accountable to you and your ambitions now.
 Many Americans have died for ideals few now, and great numbers will in the future. It sounds well to cry free speech at certain times, but this cry is inappropriate. misleads the multitude and causes deaths as our gigantic war ma chine proceeds, and encourages the "soap box in battle. No speech is now ap- propriate except that which leads to par liamentary government and international law, with the sanction that governing classes who violate it shall be executed as international criminals.
 Senator LaFollette, he who is enemy to my country is enemy to me. Every American says: As long as you, in war, fight our commander-in-chief you fight me You are my enemy and I am yours'
 FRED WILLIAM BENTLEY.