The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1917-04-06
Presidents Message

the observance Of those principles.
No Quarrel with People.
Neutrality is no longer feasible or
desirable where the peace OF the world
is involved and the freedom of its
peoples, and the menace to that peace
and freedom lies in the existence OF
autocratic governments backed by or
panized force which is controlled
wholly by their will, not by the will Of
their people, We have seen the last OF
neutrality in such circumstances.
I'VE are at the beginning OF an age
in which it will be insisted that the
same standards OF conduct and OF re-
sponsibility for wrong done shall be
observed among nations and their gov
ernments that are observed among
the individual citizens of civilized
states.
I'VE have no quarrel with the Ger
man people. We have no feeling
towards them but one of sympathy
and friendship. 1t was not upon their
impulse that their government acted in
entering this war. 1t was not with
their previous knowledge or approval.
It was a war determined upon as wal
used to be determined on in the old,
unhappy days when peoples were no
where consulted by their rulers and
wars were provoked and waged in the
interest Of dynasties or Of little groups
OF ambitious men who were accustomed
to use their fellow men as pawns and
tools.
SELF governed nations do not fill
their neighbor states with spies, or set
the course OF intrigue to bring about
some critical posture Of affairs which
will give them an opportunity to strike
and make conquest. Such designs
can be successfully worked only under
cover and where no one has the right
to ask questions.
TeIIs of spy Plots
/ "Cunningly contrived plans OF de-
ception or suggestion, carried, it may
be, from generation to generation, can
be worked out and kept from the light
only within the privacy OF courts or
behind the carefully guarded conf
dences OF narrow and privileged
class. They are happily impossible
where public opinion commands and
insists upon full information concern
ing all the nations affairs.
"A steadfast concert for peace can
never be maintained except by part
nership OF democratic nations. No
autocratic government could be trusted
to keep faith with it or observe its
covenants. 1t must be a league OF
honor. a partnership Of opinion. In
trigue would eat its vitals away; the
plottings of inner circles who could
plan what they would and render ac-
count to no one would be corruption
seated at its very heart. Only free
peoples can hold their purpose and
their honor steady to common end
and prefer the interests of mankind to
any narrow interest Of their own.
Does not every American feel that
assurance has been added to our hope
for the future peace of the world by
two wonderful and heartening things
that have been happening within the
last few weeks in Russian
Condemns PrussIan Autocracy
Russia was known by those who
knew best to have been always in fact
democratic at heart, in all the vital
habits OF her thought, in all the init
mate relationships OF her people that
spoke their natural instinct, their ha-
bitual attitude towards life.
The autocracy that crowned the
summit OF her political structure, long
as it had stood and terrible as was the
reality Of its power, was not in fact
Russian in origin, character or purpose;
and now it has been shaken off and the
great, generous Russian people have
been added in all their naive majesty
and might to the forces that are fight
ing for freedom in the world. for JUS
tice and for peace. Here is fit part
ner for league OF honor