The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1917-12-06
GOVERNMENT ABLE
TO CRUSH TREASON
Has Ample Power to Handle NAL
contents, Says Attorney
General Gregory.
SACRIFICES MUST BE MADE
Some Called Upon to Break With
Friends and Kindred As Those
Did Who Secured Liberties
Enjoyed Today.
BY THOMAS W. GREGORY,

BY THOMAS w. GREGORY,
Attorney General of the United States.
The sporadic activities of few agi-
tators who, led by good or bad motives,
seek to hamper our work in the war
Justify me as the chief law officer of
the executive branch of the govern
ment in calling attention to the duties,
moral and legal, of all persons owing
temporary or permanent allegiance to
the United States.
The German government began this
war by cOntemptuOus breach of it's
formally plighted faith made in solemn
treaty and from the beginning until
now has more than made good this
ominous earnest of its intention and
temper. The president has shown us
how one by one, as opportunity offered,
the safeguards which civilization has
been able during the centuries to throw
around neutrals and the nonfighting
people of warning nations were ruth
lessly torn down how patient and long
suffering remOnstrance and request
promises made only to be broken.
We all know as but sober fact, plainly
stated, that the imperial government
has allowed no rule of war, no Drin-
ciple of civilization, no consideration
/of humanity, no teaching of Christian
lty to stand between it and the work
Ing out of its Illegal purposes. For
half Il century that government has
schemed and prepared to dominate the
world by blood and iron" For half
century the officials of the imperial
government, from the kaiser down,
including even the teachers of their
children, have prostituted the minds
of their youth until the whole people
has been led to a toleration if not ap-
prOval, of the hideOus Outrages and
barbarities practiced by that govern
ment in this war
AS the war has gone on, the ultimate
aim Of the imperial government has
become more and more clear Drunk
with the sense of it's own power and
Its asserted superiority, 1t has pro-
posed to secure a dominating position
for itself and for its system over the
entire world. Nowhere yielding to the
people their rightful powers, and
everywhere seeking to uphold autoc-
racy and despotism, 1t has shown its
Intention to perpetuate absolute gov
ernment of which it admittedly Is the
head and front. It's "kultur" is
avOwed to be the acme of human good
ness and endeavor, and is to boast the
rulership of the world, gained by force
and arms.
Kings Against Peoples.
Heretofore, save in rare cases, war
has been fight between armies; but
this war, because Of the initial prepar-
alton for it by an autOcracy which
proStituted a whole mighty nation to
Its purpose is a contest between peoples
themselves. 1t Is correspondingly in
tense and relentless. The march of
events shows that it is now a war of
system-kings against peoples. If
our enemy win, Skings will dominate
the world, because no democracy fights
with or for them. The Prussian auto
crat and the brutal Turk will impose
upon us their wills, tell us what we
may do what we may not do, and the
horrors and atrocities of Belgium and
Armenia leave no doubt what this
means.
Thus our own very life came to be
bound up in the outcome of this war
long before we entered 1t, and even
years before the war broke. To the
man of vision 1t is as clear as sunlight
that the aim and the plan of the i'm
perial government was and Is to con-
quer the world, nation by nation. 1t
was first to defeat France and Russia,
next to dominate Great Britain, and
with Europe at its feet to turn to
America. "Kultur" and the German
sword were to rule around the world.
Congress Gave Pledge.
With all this before them congress,
the chosen representatives of the peo-
pie, exercising their constitutional duty
and with realizing sense of their
great responsibility, announced in joint
resolution "that the state of war be-
tween the United States and the i'm
perial German government which has
been thrust upon the United States is
hereby formally declared" and that
ito bring the conflict to successful
termination all the resources of the
country are hereby pledged"
This Is our promise to those we help,
OlIr warning and threat TO those we
fight. Our own fair name is bound
up in this pledge. Our honor demands