Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1917-12-08

SifaD ne Wiling anu Stdu ~ pay NV
full price for peace. and pay it I'M
grudgingly. We know what that price
viii be- II viii be full. impartial jus
uce-justice done at every point and
70 every nation that the final settle
ment must affect, our enemies as well
as our friends.
Final and Convincing Lesson.
''You catch with me. the voices Of
humanity that are in the air. They
grow daily more audible. more articu-
late, more persuasive, and they come
from the hearts of men everywhere.
They insist that the war shall not end
In yindictive action OF any kind: that
no nation or people shall be robbed or
punished because the irresponsible
rulers Of a single country have them
selves done deep and damnable wrong.
It is this thought that has been ex-
pressed In the formula No annexa-
tons, no contributions, no punitive In
IDENTITIES. Just because this crude
formula expresses the instructive iudg-
ment as TO right Of plain men every
where. II has been made diligent use
Of by the masters Of German intrigue
to lead the people Of Russia astray-
and the people of every country their
agents could reach. in order that
premature peace might be brought
about before autocracy has been taught
its final and convincing lesson. and
the people Of the world put in control
Of their own destinies."
Right as the Arbiter
But the fact that q wrong use has
been made Of just idea is no reason
why a right use should not be made Of
IT, II ought to be brought under the
patronage of its real friends. Let il he
said again that autocracy must first be
shown the utter futility Of its claims 10
power or leadership In the modern
world 1t Is impossible to apply any
standard of justice so long as such
forces are unchecked and undefeated
as the present masters Of Germany
command. Not until this has been
done can Right be set up as arblter
and peacemaker among the nations.
But when that has been done-as. God
willing, Il assuredIy viii be-we shall
at last he free TO do an unprecedented
thing and this the time 70 avow our
purpose 70 do 1t. We shall be free to
base peace on generosity and justice,
to the exclusion Of all selfish claims 10
advantage even on the part Of the vic
tors.
To Win War Our Present Task
let there he To misunderstanding
Our present and Immediate task IS to
win the war. and nothing shall turn US
aside from II until 1t is accomplished
Every power and resource We possess,
whether Of men. OF money. or OF ma
terialS. is being devoted and will con-
tiuue 10 be devoted 10 that purpose
until it is achieved. Those who de-
sire 20 bring peace about before that
purpose is achieved counsel to carry
their advice elsewhere. We viii not
entertain IT. We shall regard the war
as won only when the German people
say 10 US through properly accredited
representatives that they are ready to
agree to a settlement based upon JUS
tce and the reparatlon Of the wrongs
their rulers have done They have
done a wrong 10 Belgium which must
be- repaired. They have established a
power over other lands and people than
their owu--ovev the great empire Of
Austria Hungary, other hitherto free
Balkan states. over Turkey. and within
Asla-whjco must he relinQuished.
Must End German Autocrsey.
"Germacy's success by skill by in
duStry b. knowledge, by enterprise
We SD not grudge or oppose. but ad-
mire5. rather She had built up for
herself real empire of trade ard IN
Auence secured by the peace Of the
world. We were content To abide the
rIvalries Of manufacture. science and
commerce that were involved for US In
her success and stand or tal as we
had or did not have the brains and the
initiative IN surpass her. But az the
moment when she had c0nspicuousiy
won her triumphs OF peace She threw
them away. to establish in their stead
what the world will no longer permit
10 be established. military and political
domination by arms. by which TO Dust
where she could not excel the rivals
she most feared and hated. The peace
we make must remedy that wrong. II
must deliver the once fair lands and
happy peoples OF Belgium and north
ern France from the PrusSian conquest
and the Prussian menace. but It must
slso deliver the peoples Of Austria
Hungary, the peoples Of the Balkans
and the peoples Of Turkey. alike In
Europe and in Asia. from the impudent
and allen dominion of the Prussian
military and commercial autocracy.
To Manage Their Own Affairs.
we owe II. however. n ourselves To
say 'hat We Do not wish In any way 70
impair or TO re-arrange the Austro-
Hungarian empire II Is no affair OF
ours what they do with their own life
either iudnstrially - politically. We
30 not purpose or desire 10 dictate to
them In any way We only desire 70
see thar their affairs are left in their
own hands In au matters great or
small va she'll ho,s % .-r.~.,.- - -