Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1917-10-05

| ed by other peoples until amongst the
nations of the earth were many which
though differing in form had become
democracies in substance.
While this gospel of popular self
government was thus gaining con-
verts in many places, counter move
ment was making great Roadway in
other quarters. No seeds of democ
racy were permitted to take root in
any soil under the domination of the
lords of Prussia. Instead, they ex-
tended their domain and enlarged
their power through force and per-
fidy; and generations of their sub
jects were, from the cradle to the
grave, fed on the diet of feudalism
and militarism, and taught that they
were a race of supermen ordained by
God to impose their culture by fire
and sword under the lead of the d.
vinely appointed kaiser upon the in
ferior races of the earth.
And thereby was built up the pres
ent German empire-a military au-
tocracy more arrogant and covetous
and more powerful and despotic than
any other known to history. And
thereby was bred the present kaiser,
who audaciously declared upon his
accession to the throne that he was
chosen by God to be sole and abso-
lutte master of all within the German
empire and that nothing could thence
forth be settled in the world without
his Intervention. And thereby was
created a German populace, so delud-
ed and misled by the inspired and d.
rected teachings and preachings of
years, that it slavishly applauded
such a declaration and supinely ac-
Quiesced in such sentiments.
Three years ago this Prussianized
,Germany-after decades of threaten
ing and feinting, of clanking of sabre
and shaking of mailed fist, of fruit
less efforts to goad or provoke some
of her democratic neighbors to move
against her-deliberately plunged Eu-
rope into this frightful war without
excuse or warning and so began its
long contemplated and carefully plan
ned campaign for world dominion and
the overthrow of democracy. For
two and one-half years our country
tried hard to maintain neutrality
and earnestly strove to honorably es-
cape participation in the conflict
but all our endeavors were thwarted
by the defiance and duplicity of this
linsolent and intriguing opponent OF
human liberty.
The inevitable finally came. Igno-
miny and shame was the price of fur
ther forbearance and we could not
pay such a price. And so, to make
the world "safe for democracy" the
great democracy of the Western hem
|isphere-the mother of democracies
has taken her place in the fighting
line alongside the old and new democ
racies Of the Eastern hemisphere.
i Long did our President hesitate
much did he endure, deeply did he
mediate, before sending his fatefu
message to Congress. Worthy were
the motives that prompted such hes
. itation and endurance; and we have
seen proof Of the wisdom Of his pol
icy in that regard. But during thai
long period of hesitation and endur
Iance, so busy in their efforts to mould
, public opinion here we're unsuspected
, Prussian emissaries and hirelings, &c
Iskillfully did they serve their roya
i. master, so much we're they assisted BY
visionary theorists and impracticablt
| pacifists, and so accustomed did oul
people become to German crimes ant
outrages and insults and affronts
that there may linger honest doubts
lin some loyal American minds as t.
the propriety Of the course theil
country has pursued.
1t ought to be complete answer
ito such a doubter that Woodrow vii
son, ardent lover Of peace, who fol
over two years did all that morta
man could do to keep his country ou
LOT this war, was finally compelled II
say 1t could no longer be done, ant
that with practical unanimity Con
lgress concurred in his view ant
said the time for fighting had arrived
Does the doubter want some of thu
reasons which impelled our Presiden
and our Congress 10 sucn 9ctlon
Then let him consider the invasion o.
Belgium, Germany's oficial charac
terization of treaties as mere scrap
of paper, the atrocities inflicted OF
Belgian non-combatants Of both sexe
and all ages, the deportation to Ger
many of French and Belgian civil
ians, the piratical tribute levied OF
invaded territory, the sinking of tn
Luisitania, the foul murder OF hun
dreds of American men and womel
and children while travelling the higl
seas on peaceful errands, the ruth
less submarine warfare, the sinkinl
OF hospital ships and Belgian relic
ships, the plots of Bernstorf and Vol
Papen and Boyd to blow up indus
trial plants and damage transporta
ton facilities in this country and tn
property destroyed and lives lost il
the execution of these plots, the Tim
norman proposal to Mexico. the lie
and deceit and broken promises will
which Germany's diplomatic commu
nications teemed from beginning Il
and There are more many more