Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1917-06-21

Continued from Page One.)
and closing with an eioIuent appeal
to every hearer to do the duty which
faces every individual.
Edgar b. Piper
Mr.. Carter then introduced Edgar
B. Piper, editor of the Oregonian,
whom he described as one of the busi-
nest men in Portland but who was
willing to give up his own interests
in order to do his share in forward
ing the Red Cross work.
Mr.. Piper made a magnificent ad-
dress, stating at the opening that he
would not attempt to deal specifical-
ly with the details of the Red Cross
movement which had been so ably
outlined by Mr.. Vining, but that he
would attempt to awaken his hearers
to the reality of the war in which
their country and themselves had
been plunged by the aggression Of
German autocracy.
Here beneath these blue skies, in
this peaceful spot surrounded by
these beautiful hills, with the mur-
muring music of this tumbling creek
it seems almost sacreligious to mem
tion the subject of war;" he commenc-
ed, "but lit is my patriotic duty to
present the hard realities and strive
to make every individual within hear
ing understand the horrible and stu
pendous conflict into which we are
plunged.
"Amid the orchards and fields of
this valley, untouched by the war,
it Is hard to realize that elsewhere in
this world like spots have been un-
able to find any protection from the
barbarous hands of autocracy and
which now lie a devasted ruin. After
two years aud a half during which
the great conflict has been waged
on the other side of the world and
during which 1t has been regarded
as a phantom spectre, a horrible mo-
tion picture by the majority of us,
the time has arrived when the horrors
are at our door, when we are part
of it and when we must face, UNDER
stand and solve the problems and
the terrible realities which it brings
to every individual among us.
" We can't begin to understand"
he said, chow any world conquerlng
Caesar can take our peace and per-
sonal safety from us, but my friends
we must realize that that is a pos
sibility which we face today"
In forceful and graphic language
the speaker outlined the history of
the evolution Of the American and
German ideals, during the last CEN
tury and half. He showed how
Germany's declaration of war which
seemed at the time no concern to
this country, was in reality a chal-
lenge to the democracies of the
world, and that while the war had
appeared to be merely war of Eur
opean alliances, it was in reality a
war against the principles upon which
this country was founded and for the
perpetuation of which our forefathers
had live dand died.
Through all the wars this coun-
try has waged," he went on, "the
United States had fought that either
we ourselves or some other people
might enjoy the cherished principles
upon which our government is found
ed; liberty, equality, opportunity and
freedom.
During the same period Prussian
has been building up the
policy of militarism for the purpose
of aggression and conquest until now
every German believes that his gov
ernment and Prussian autocracy is
to conquer the world To
this end the Germans and their al
lies had subjected every other con-
sideration and are now engaged in an
attemnt to ooin tbo;r o,,do