The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1917-04-05

upon the trusted IOun0aI1OHS Oh pO14tl'
cal liberty.
] 1--WE have no selfish ends to serve.
We desire no. conquest, no dominion
| We seek no indemnities for ourselves,
no material compensation TO rthe sac
rifices we shall freely make. We are
| but one of the champions Of the
rights of mankind. We shall be sat
isfied when those rights have been as
secure as the faith and the freedom
of the nations can make them.
"Just because we fight without ran
cor and without selfish objects, seek
ing nothing for ourselves, but what
we shall wish to share with all free
people, we shall, I feel confident, con-
duct our operations as belligerents
without passion and ourselves observe
with proud punctiho the principles Of
right and of fair play we profess to be
| fighting for.
81 have said nothing of the gov
ernments allied with the Imperial
government of Germany because they
have not made war upon or challenged
us to defend our rights and our honor.
i The Austro-H Hungarian government
has, indeed, avowed it's unqualified en-
dorsement and acceptance Of the
reckless and lawless submarine war
| fare adopted now without disguise
by the Imperial German government
and it has, therefore, not been posi-
BILE for this government to receive
| Count Tarnowski, the ambassador re-
Gently accredited to this government.
/ by the imperial and royal government
of Austria-Hungary, but that govern
ment has not actually engaged in war
| fare against citizens of the United
| States on the seas. and I take the lib
! erty, for the present at least, of post
poning a discussion Of our relations
| with the authorities at Vienna. We en-
ter this war only where we are clearly
forced into it because there are no
other means of defending our rights.
Act Without Animus.
"It will be all the easier for us to
conduct ourselves as belligerents in a
high spirit of right and fairness be-
cause we act without animus, not in
enmity towards a people or with the
desire to bring any injury or disad
vantage upon them but only in arm
ed opposition to an irresponsible gov
eminent which has thrown aside all
considerations of humanity and of
right and is running amuck.
1--WE are, let me say, again the
sincere friends of the German people,
and shall desire nothing so much as
the early reestablishment of intimate
relations of mutual advantage be-
tween us-however hard it may be for
them, for the time being, to believe
that this is spoken from our hearts.
We have borne with their present gov
eminent through all the bitter months
because of that exercising !
a patience and forbearance which
would otherwise have been impossi
BILE We shall happily, still have an
opportunity to prove that friendship
i'll our daily attitude and actions to-
ward the millions of men and women
of German birth and native sympathy |
who live amongst us and share our
life and we shall be proud to prove
it towards all who are in fact loyal to
their neghbors and to the government |
IN the hour of test. They are, most |
of them, as true and loyal Americans |
as if they had never known any other |
fealty or allegiance. They will be !
prompt to stand with us in rebuking !
and restraining the few who may be |
of a different mind and purpose.
IF there should be disloyalty it
will be dealt with with a firm hand
of stern repression, but if it lifts its
head at all, it will lift it only here
and there and without countenance
except from a lawless and malignant
few.
"It is a distressing and oppressive
duty, gentlemen Of the Congress.
which 1 have performed in thus ad-
dressing you. There are, it may De,
many months of fiery trial and sacri-
flee ahead of us. 1t is fearful thing
to lead this great peaceful people into
war, into the most terrible and dis
astrous of all wars, civilization itself
seeming to be in the balance
But the right is more precious
than peace, and we shall fight for the
things which we have always carried
nearest our hearts-for democracy,
for the right of those who submit.
to authority to have a voice in their
own government for the rights and
liberties of small nations for a uui.
versal dominion of right by such a
conce"+ Of free people as shall bring
peace safety to all nations and
make the world itself at last free.
ITO such task we can dedicate
our lives and our fortunes, every f
thing that we are and everything that
we have. with the pride of those who
knew that the day has come when
America is privileged to spend her
blood and her might for the nrincinIoa