Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-06-15

have begun Of late TO profess a Ike
liberality and justice Of purpose, but
only to preserve the power they have
set Nd in Germany and the selfish I'D
vantages which they have wrongly
gained for themselves and their pri'
vate projects Of power, all the way
from Berlin to Bagdad and beyond.
Government after government has, by
their influence, without open conquest
OF its territory, been linked together
in a net of intrigue directed against
nothing less than the peace and lib
erty Of the world.
"The meshes of that intrigue must
be broken, but cannot be broken un-
less wrongs already done are undone;
and adequate measures must be taken
to prevent II from ever again being
rewoven or repaired. OF course the
imperial German government and
those whom II Is using for their W
undoing are seeking to obtain pledges
that the war will end in the restora-
ton or the status quo ante. It was
the status quo ante out of which this
Ubiquitous wal issues forth, the power
Of the imperial German government
within the empire and It's widespread
| domination and influence outside Of
that empire. That status must be al
tered in such fashion as to prevent
any such hideous thing from ever
happening again.
I'VE are fighting for the liberty. the
self-government and the indicated
development of all peoples, and every
feature Of the settlement that con-
cludes the war must be conceived and
executed for that purpose. Wrongs
must first be righted, and then ade-
quate safeguards must be created to
prevent their being committed again.
We ought not to consider remedies
merely because they have a pleasing
and sound. Practical ques-
tions can be settled only by practical
means. Phrases will not achieve the
result. Effective readjustments will,
and whatever Establishments are nee
essary must be made.
Bat they must follow a principle
and that principle is plain. No peo
pie must be forced under sovereignty
under which it does not wish to live.
mo territory must change hands ex
cept for the purpose of securing those
who inhabit it a fair chance Of life ant
liberty.
mo indemnities must be insisted or
except those that constitute payment
for manifest wrongs done. No read
justment of power must be made ex
cept such as will tend to secure the
future peace of the world and the flu
ture welfare and happiness of its PEG
pies.
Free Peoples Must Combine.
"And then the free peoples Of the
world must draw together in som
common covenant, some genuine an(
practical cooperation that will in ef
: feet combine their force to secur,
peace and justice in the dealings o
| nations with one another. The broth
erhood of mankind must no longer b.
a fair but empty phrase; 1t must b
? given a structure OF force and reality
THE nations must realize their con
mon life and effect a workable part
nership to secure that life against tn.
aggressions of autocratic and sell
pleasing power.
: Time to Submit or Conquer.
. For these things we can afford L
pour out blood and treasure. For thes
+ are the things we have always pre-
fessed to desire, and unless we pou
: out blood and treasure now and sue
9 coed we may never be able to unit
i or show conquering force again in tn
great cause of human liberty. Tn
: day has come to conquer or submit. ]
I the forces of autocracy can divide u
they will overcome us; II we stand tC
gether, victory is certain and the iii
erty which victory will cur w
can afford then to be generous. bu
we cannot afford then or now to b
weak or omit any single guarantee G