The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-04-03

deeply mOmentOuS things, let us be
very clear, and make very clear to all
the world! what our motives and our
objects are. My own thought has not
been driven from its habitual and
normal course by the unhappy events
of the last two months. and do not
believe that the thought Of the nation
has been altered or clouded by them.
VINDICATE PEACE PRINCIPLES
II have exactly the same things in
mind now that l had in mind when I
addressed the Senate on the 22nd of
January last, the same that I had in
mind when l addressed the Congress
on the Bird Of February. and on the
26th Of February. Our object now, as
then, is to vindicate the principles of
peace and the justice in the life of the
world as against selfish and autocratic
power and to set up amongst the really
free and self-governel peoples Of the
world such concert of purposes of
action as will henceforth insure the
observance of those principles. Neutral
lily is no longer feasible or desirable
where the peace of the world is in
volved and the freedom Of its people,
and the menace to that peace and free
dom lies in the existence of autOcratic
governments backed by organized force,
which is controlled wholly by their
will. not by the will of their people.
We have seen the last of neutrality in
such circumstances.
INDIVIDUAL STANDARDS.
siNNn .,t I,n 20
in which it will be insisted that the
same standards of conduct and Of res
possibility for wrong done shall be OBJ
served among nations and their govern
ments that are observed among the in
dividual citizens of civilized states
I'VE .haveno quarrel with the Ger
man people. We have no feeling
toward them, but one of sympathy and
friendship. 1t was not upon their i'm
pulse that their government acted in
entering this war. 1t was not with
their previous knowledge or approval.
1T was war determined upon as
wars used to be determined on in the
old. unhappy days when peoples were
nowhere consulted by their rulers and
wars were provoked and waged in the
interests of dynasties or of littleEroups
of ambitious men who were accustomed
to use their fcllOwmen as pawns and
tools.
INSTANCES OF INTRIGUE.
"Self-gOyerned nations do not fill
their neighbOr states with spies or set
the course of intrigue to bring about
some critical posture Of affairs, which
will give them an opportunity to strike
and make conquest. Such designs can
be successfully worked only under cover
and where no one has the right to ask
questions.
"Cunningly contrived plans of decep.
ton or aggression. carried, it may be,
from generation to generation, can be
worked out and kept from the light
only within the privacy of courts or
behind the carefully guarded conf
dences of a narrow and privileged
class. They are happily impossible
where public opinion commands and in.
sfsts upon full information concerning
all the nations affairs. =
DEMOCRACY IN PARTNERSHIP
"A steadfast concert for peace can
never be maintained except by part
nership of democratic nations. Auto
cratic governments could be trusted
to keep faith within it or observe its
covenants. 1t must be league of
honor, partnership of opinion. In
trigue would eat its vitals away: the