Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1917-12-13
Washington, ID. c., Dec
ident spoke as follows:

dent spoke as 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 n grave signifi-
canoe for us. I will not undertake to
ietall. or even to summarize, those
events. or the part we have played in
Shem. This will be laid before you in
the report of the executive depart
outlook upon these vast affairs, our
present duties and the immediate means
Of accomplishing the objects we shall
hold ALWAYS in view.
War Aim Is to Win.
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
nave n since become too grossly
obvious and odious to every true Amer
acan to need TO be rehearsed. But l
snali ask YOU to consider again and
WIN q very grave scrutiny our objec-
yves and the measures by which we
mean to attain them for the purpose of
discussion here i'm this place is action
and II action must move straight to-
wards definite ends. Our object is
or course to win the war and we shall
not slacken or suffer ourselves to be
diverted until it is won. But 1T is
worth While asking and answering the
question when shall We consider the
war won?'
Safe to Let Pacifists Strut.
From one point of view it is not
necessary to breach this fundamental
matter. i do not doubt that the Ameri-
can people know what the war is about
and what sort OF an outcome they will
regard as Il realization of their pur-
pose IN III. AS a nation we are united
IN spirit and intention. paw little
need to those who tell me otherwise.
l near the voices of dissent-who does
not! L hear the criticism and Tho clamor
Oh the noisy. t~houghtless and trouble
some. L also hear men here and there
ring themselves in impotent d~isloyalty
against the calm. indomitable power Of
the nation. 1 hear men debate peace
who understand neither it's nature nor
the way IN which we may attain it,
WIN upllfted eyes and unbroken spirits.
BUT know that none of these speaks
TOT the nation. They do not touch the
heart of anything. They may safely be
left to strut their uneasy hour and be
forgotten.
but from another point of view l
,peneve that it is necessary to say plain
~ What we here at the seat of action
consider the war to be for and what
part we mean to play in the settlement
of it's searching issues. we are the
NaAS 81 DtOI1le anu
they have a right to know whether their
purpose is ours. They desire peace by
the overcoming OF evil. by the defeat.
once for all, of the sinister forces that
interrupt peace and render it impos-
siole, ana n wish to know how close
~ our aought runs with theirs and
what action we propose. They are inn
pateht with those who desire peace by
any sort of compromise-deeply and
impatient, but they will be
equally impatient with us if we do not
hlake IL plain to them what our objec-
yves are and what we are planning for
IN seeking to make conquest of peace
by arms.
Peace Terms Are Stated.
Il believe that speak for them when
i say w things:
First. that this intolerable thing of
which the masters of Germany have
SHOWN us the ugly face, this menace of
combined intrigue and force which we
now see so clearly as the German
power, a thing without conscience or
honor or capacity for covenanted
peace, must be crushed. and if it be not
utterly brought to an end, at least shut
out from the friendly intercourse of the
natlons; and, second. that when his
th1ns and It's power are indeed defeated
and the time comes that we can discuss
peace-When the German people have
spokesmen whose word we can believe,
and when those spokesman are ready
IN the name of their people to accent
the ommon judgement of the nations
as to what shall henceforth be the bases
of law and of covenant for the life of
the world-we shall be willing and glad
to pay the full price for peace and pay
it ungrudgingly. We know what thai
price will be. 1t will be fun, impartial
1ustice-justice done at every point
n to every nation. The final settle
ment must affect our enemies as wen
as our friends.
Against Punitive Indsmnities.
You catch. with men, the voices of
humanity that are in the air. They
grow daily more audible. more articp-
late, more persuasive. and they come
from the hearts Of men everywhere.
They insist that the war shall not end
in vindictive action Of n kind; that
no nation or people shall be robbed or
punished because the irresponsible rul-
ers of a single country have themselves
done deep and abominable wrong. 1t is
this thought that has been expressed in
the formula. no annexations, no con-
just because this crude formula ex-
presses the instructive Judgment as to
right of plain men everywhere, it has
been made diligent use Of by the mas
ters of German intrigue to lead the peo-
pie OF Russia astray-and the people
reach. in order that a premature peace
might be brought about before auto
cracv has been taught fits final and con.
vincing lesson, and the people OF the
world put in control of their own des-
TIMES.
Declares Idea Is Good.
Blu the fact that a wrong use has
| been made of q just idea, is no reason
why a right use should not be made of
L A. m nrSrht n En N~0 =, ~