The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-06-15
POSITION IN THE WAR

A1Oi1I VI ISUoold tudl We LcSl LudL We
are doing public service to print it
in its entirely.
1t is reprinted from the Official Bull
letin Of Saturday:
/ In view of the approaching visit of
the American delegation to Russia to
express the deep friendship of the
American people for the people Of
Russia, and to discuss the best and
most practical means of cooperation
between the two peoples in carrying
the present struggle for the freedom
of all peoples to a successful cOnsum-
nation, it seems opportune and ap-
prOpriate that | should state again, in
the light of this new partnership, the
objects the United States has in mind
in entering the war. Those objects
have been very much beclouded dur
ing the past few weeks by mistaken
and misleading statements, and the
issues at stake are too momentous,
too tremendous, too significant, for
the whole human race to permit any
neutrality-suspicious. or misunderstand-
ings, however, slight, to remain uncor.
reCted for moment.
War Going Against Germany
The war has begun to go against
Germany, and in their desperate de-
.stro H.
defeat, those who are in authority in
Germany are using every possible in
strumentality, are making use even
of the influence of groups and parties
among their own subjects to whom
they have never been just or fair, or
even tolerant, to promote a prOpa-
ganda on both sides of the sea which
will preserve for them their influence
at home and their power abroad, to
the undoing of the very men they are
using.
The position of America in this war
is so clearly avowed that no man can
be excused for misatking it. She
seeks no material profit or aggran-
dizement of any kind. She is fighting |
for no advantage or selfish object of |
her own, but for the liberation of peo !
pies everywhere from the aggres- |
siOns of autocratic force.
BerIin's Project of Power
The ruling classes of Germany |
have begun of late to profess a like
liberality and justice of purpose, but
only to preserve the power they have
set UP in Germany and the selfish adj
vantages which they have wrongly |
gained for themselves and their pri-
vate projects of power all the way
from Berlin to Bagdad and beyond.
Government after government has by
heir influence, without open conquest
Of its territory, been linked together
N a net of intrigue directed against
nothing less than the peace and lib.
erty of the world The meshes of that
intrigue must be broken, but cannot
be broken unless wrongs already
lone are undone, and adequate meas
lres must be taken to prevent it from
ever again being rewoven or repaired
Germany Seeking Pledges
OF course, the imperial German
government and those whom it is us
ng for their own undoing are seeking
% obtain pledges that the war will
end in the restoration of the status
luo ante. 1t was the status quo ante
out of which this iniquitous war issued
orth, the power of the imperial Ger
nan government within the empire
md its widespread domination and in
iuence outside of that empire. That
status must be altered in such fashion
Is to prevent any such hideous thing
rom ever happening again.
We are fighting for the liberty, the
self government. and the indicated
development of all peoples, and every
eature of the settlement that con-
ludes this war must be conceived and
executed for that purpose Wrongs
must first be righted and then ade-
luate safeguards must be created to
prevent their being committed again.
Ne ought not to consider remedies
merely because they have a pleasing
md sonorous sound. Practical oues-
ions can be settled only by practical
means. Phrases will not accomplish
the result Effective readjustments
will, and whatever readjustments are
necessary must be made.
Principle of Readjustments
But they must follow a principle
and that principle is plain. No people
must be forced under sovereignty I'M
Ter which it does not wish to live. No
territory must change hands except
Tor the purpose of securing those who
nha0it it fair chance of life and