The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-11-10

nothing for ourselves but what we shall
wish to share with all free people. we
shall. feel confident. conduct our oper-
atlons as beiligerents without passion
and ourselves observe with proud pune
tito the principles of right and of fair
play we profess to be fighting for.
/ have said nothing of the govern
ments allied with the Imperial gov
eminent OF Germany because they have
not made war upon challenged
US 10 defend our right and our honor.
The Acknowledgements government has,
indeed, avOWed it's unqualified iRdOrse-
ment and acceptance of the reckless
and laWless submarine warfare, adopt
ed now without disguise by the Imper-
al German government. and # has
therefore not been possible for this
government to receive Count TarnOVT-
ski, the ambassador recently accredited
10 this government by the Imperial and
Royal government of Austrfa-Hungary;
but that government has not actually
engaged In warfare against citizens of
the United States the seas, and /
take the liberty, for the present at
least, OF pOstPOniHE n discussion of our
relations with the authOrffieS at VI
emma. We enter this war only where
we are clearly forced into IT because
there are no other means Of defending
our rights.
1t Will be all the easier for Us to
conduct ourselves beIIlEerenta In a
high spirit OF right and fairness be-
cause we act without animus, not with
enmtty toward a people or with the
desire TO bring any injury disad-
vantage upon them. but only In armed
opposition to irresponsible govern
ment which has threwn aside all con-
alterations of humanity and of right
and Is running amucI<.
We are, let say again, the sin
cere friends 81 the German people, and
shall desire nothing much as the
early re-establIshment of intimate reIa-
lions Of mutual advantage between us,
however hard IT may be for them for
the time being to believe that this Is
spoken from our hearts. We have
borne with their present government
through all these bitter months be-
cause of that friendship, exercising n
patience and fOrbearaace which would
otherwise have been impossible.
We shall happily still have an OP-
POrtunity to prove that friendship In
our daily attitude and actions toward
the millions of men and women of Ger
man birth and native sympathy who
live among and share our life, and
we shall be proud to prove 1t toward
All VINO are In fact loyal to their neigh
bOrs and to the government in the hour
OF test. They are most OF them as true
ana loyal Americans If they had
never known any other feaIty al
IeR1ance. They Will be prompt to stand
with US I'm rebuking and restraining
the rev who may be of a different mind
and purpose. If there should be dis
loyalty 1t VIII be dealt with with n
nrm hand OF stern repression; but If
1t lifts its head at all, 1T will lift 1t
only here and there and without coun-
tenance except from a IawIesa and
malignant few
1t is a distressing and oppressive duty
gentlemen of the congress. which j
have performed In thus addressing You.
There are, 1t may be, many months of
fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of ms.
1t Is fearful thing to lead this great.
peaceful people into war. Into the most
terrible and disastrous of all wars, civ
1ltzatiOn 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 who submit to authority
to have voice in their own govern
ments, for the rights and liberties of
small nations, for a universal dominion
OF right by such q concert of free peO-
pie as shall bring peace and safety to
all nations and make the world itself
at last free.
To such q task we can dedicate Our
lives and our fortunes, everything that
we are and everything that we have,
with the pride of those who know that
the day has come when America Is
privileged to spend her blood and her
birth and happiness and the peace
which she has treasured.
God helping her, she can do no other