The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-04-03

ment of Germany because they Ihaye
not made waf upon rs Or challenged US
to defend our right and our honor. The
Austro- Hungarian government has. in
deed. avowed it's unqualified indorse-
ment and acceptance OF the reckless
and lawless submarine warfare adopt
ed now without disguise by the impe-
rial German government, and it has
therefore not been possible for this
government to receive Count Tarnow-
ski, the ambassador recently accredit-
! ed to this government by the imperial
and royal government Of Austria
Hungary; but that government has not
actually engaged in warfare against
citizens OF the United States on the
seas and / take the liberty, for the
present at least, of postponing q de-
cison of our relations with the author
| tiles at Vienna. We enter this war only
where we are clearly forced into it
| because there are no other means OF
defending our rights.
Not Against German People.
at will be all the easier for us to
conduct ourselves as belligerents in q
high spirit of right and fairness be-
cause we act without animus, not in
enmity toward a people or with the de-
sire to bring any injury or disadvan-
tage upon them, but only in armed OPP
position to an irresponsible govern
| ment. which has thrown aside all con-
siderations of humanity and of right
| and is running amuck.
1--WE are, let me say again, the sin
\ cere friends of the German people and
shall desire nothing so much as the
! carly establishment of intimate re-
| lations of mutual advantage between
| us-howevcr hard it may be for them
| for the time being to believe that this
I IS spoken from our hearts. We have
borne with their present government
| through all these bitter months be-
cause of that MISUNDERSTANDING a
patience and 'forbearance which would
otherwise have been impossible. We
| shall, happily, still have an opportun-
| ity to prove that friendship in our
daily attitude and actions toward the
millions of men and women of German
birth and native sympathy who live
| amongst us and share our life. and we
shall be proud to prove it towards all
| who are in fact loyal to their neigh
bors and to the government in the
hour of test They are, most of them,
rs true and loyal Americans as If they
had never known any other fealty or
allegiance. They will be prompt to
stand with us in rebuking and re-
| straining the few who may be of a
| different mind and purpose. If there
| should be disloyalty, it will be dealt
| with with a firm hand of stern repres
| sion: but if it lifts it's head at all, it
will lift it only here and there and
without countenance except from a
| lawless and malignant few.
| Americas Duty.
| TT is a distressing and oppressive
| duty, gentlemen of the congress, which
[ have here formed in thus addressing
YOU. There are, it may be, many
months of fiery trial and sacrifice
| 'lefh VI uS. IL ID a. Atuiiui t'iih5 I,
lead this great peaceful country into
war, into the most terrible and dis
astrous of all wars, civilization itself
seeming to be in the balance But the
right is more precious than peace and
we shall fight for the things which We
have always carried nearest our hearts
for democracy, for the right of those
IWho submit 10 authority to have &
voice in their own governments. fOl