Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-12-12

Washington, Dec. 4.-President Viii
son In his message TO congress today
declared emphatically for a peace bas-
ed on generosity and justice after Ger
man autocracy shall first be shown
the utter futility Of Its claims TO
world"
The message follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress-Eight
months have elapsed since l last had
the honor of addressing you. They
have been months crowded with events
of immense and grave significance for
us. [ shall undertake to detail or even
10 summarize these events The prac-
teal particulars of the part we have
played in them will be laid before you
in the reports of the executive depart
ments. l shall discuss only our pres
ent outlook upon these vast affairs,
our present duties, and the Immediate
means Of accomplishing the objects
we shall hold always in view.
Il shall not go back to debate the
causes of the war. The intolerable
wrongs done and planned against US
by the sinister masters of Germany
have long since become too grossly
obvious and odious To every true Amer
Team TO need 10 be rehearsed. But 1
shall ask you Ia consider again and
with a very grave scrutiny our objec-
lives and the measures by which we
mean to attain them; for tile purpose
Of discussion here in this place Is ac-
ton. and our action must move
straight towards definite ends.
Must Win the War.
'Our object is, of course. 70 win the
war; and we shall not slacken or sui
fer ourselves to be diverted until Il is
won But il is worth while asking and
answering the question: When shall
we consider the war WON'T
From one point Of view it is not
necessary to breach this fundamental
natter do not doubt that the Amer
lean people know what the war is
about and what sort Of an outcome
they VIII regard as a realization of
their purpose in it. As nation we
are united in spirit and intention.
pay little heed TO those who tell me
otherwise. | hear the voices OF dis
senc-who does not? hear the crit
cism and the Glamour OF the noisy,
ihoughtless and troublesome. / also
see men here and there fling them
selves in impotent dislOyaIty against
the calm lndomltable power of the ma
ton hear men debate peace who
understand neither its nature nor the
way in which we obtain it with uplift-
- eyes and uuhrokeu spirits. But l
known that none of these speaks for
the nation. They do not touch the
heart OF anything They may safely
be left TO strut their uneasy hour aud
he forgotten.
Mo Peace by Compromise.
But from another point Of view !
believe that il is necessary To say
plainly what We here at the seat ~ ac-
zion consider the war 60 be for and
What part We mean 10 play In the set
tiemeuJ ~ jts searching issues.
We are the Sp0kpSmeu Of the Amer
lean people, and they have r.4ft 10
know whether their purpose j. ours
They desire peace by the over oming
~ evil. by the defeat once for all Of
the sinister forces that interrupt
peace and render it Impossible. and
they wish 20 know how closely our
Thought runs with theirs. and what &C
ton We propose They are impatient
with those who desire peace by any
sort Of coInpromi se-deeply and indig-
nantly impatient they will De
equally impatient with Us if We do not
make II plain "a them what our Oh
jectivrs arc and what We are planning
for in seeking 70 make conquest Of
peace hy arms.
Menace Must Be Crushed
a believe that speak for them
when | say two things: First. that
This iutolerahIr thing Of which the
masters OF Germany have Sh,sen US
tilt hN tN't'- itttN l-stItttfF ~ fNlN-
hined intrigue and force which N.- now
see So clearly as The German power.
q Thing without cpnsejeuce ur honor
or capacity for coyenauted peace. must
bc crushed and. n IL is mol utterly
brought Ia M end at least shuf out
from the friendly intercourse q: the
nations and, second. when this Thing
and its power are indeed dofeatct: aud
The time comes that We can discuss
peac,-When the German people have
Spokesman whose words we cai. be
leve and when those spokeSmen are
ready in the name of their people 10
accept the common Judgment Of
the nations as to what shall hence
forth be the bases of law and of coy
euant for the life Of the world-we
shall be willing and glad 10 pay the
full price for peace and pay 1t I'M
grudgingly. We know what that price
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