The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1917-06-11
Declares Grave Danger Faces
America Unless We Defeat
Germany.
RUSSIA GIVEN WAR aims
Demands Change in Pre-War Status
Quo to Conform With Human
Rights-Opposes Indemnities
Except as Reparation.

RUSSIA the president Sa1Q tnaC une
war had begun to turn against Ger
many. In a parenthetical note in the
document it is estimated that Germany
"very possibly might be victorious"
Pictures Fury of Victorious Germany.
This startling statement is taken
from the following comment:
ITO anyone who will reflect upon
the subject it will soon appear to be
preposterous folly that we go it alone
against Germany and to fail to give
every possible aid to her original enc
mics. Obviously, unless we send NUM-
tions, troops, submarine chasers, etc..
to France, England and possibly Rus
STA, since the German high fleet does
not at present come out, the war for us
Will mean little more than calling
European war is ended, and then, If
Germany has pound of strength left,
and very possibly she might be vic
tOriOus,' she can vent on us all her
hate and fury and exact from us the
indemnitieS she cannot wiring from
bankrupt Europe. So obvious is the
military necessity of giving every pos
sible help to the present enemies of
Germany that those who try to thwart
this are almost open to the very grave
criminal charge of giving aid and COM
fort to the enemies of the United
States.
"A Prussianized Germany, triumph
ant in Europe and dominant on the
seas, would find it's occasion to strike
down America in it's isolation and
| make of us the overseas tributary Of
new Roman empire. There can be no
question that the future of democracy
and of independent national life is
hanging in the balance in this strug-
gle."
The presidents communication was
delivered to the Russian government
by Ambassador Francis at Petrograd.
1t is in part as follows:
I'm view of the approaching visit of
the American delegation to Russia to
express the deep friendship of the
American people for the people of Rus
Sa and to discuss the best and most
practical means of cooperation be-.
tween the two people in carrying the
present struggle for the freedom Of,
all peoples to a successful consumma-
ton, it seems opportune and appropri-
ate that / should state again in the
light of this new partnership the OBJ
jects the United States has had in
mind in entering the war
German Plots for Peace.
'"The war has begun to go against
Germany, and in their desperate desire
to escape the inevitable ultimate de-
feat, those who are in authority in
Germany are using every possible in
strumentality, are making use even of
the influence Of groups and parties
among their own subjects, to whom
they have never been just or fair or
even tolerant, to promote a propa-
ganda on both sides of the sea which
will preserve for them their influence
at home and their power abroad, to the
undoing Of the very men they are
using.
"The position Of America in this war
is SO clearly avowed that no man can
be excused for mistaking it. America
seeks no material profit of aggrandiZe-
ment of any kind. She is fighting for
no advantage or selfish or ject of her
own, but for the liberation of peoples
everywhere from the aggression of
autocratic force.
Trick in Berlin Offers.
"The ruling classes in Germany have
begun Of late to profess a like liberal
ity and justice of purpose, but only to
preserve the power they have set up in
Germany and the selfish advantages
which they have wrongly gained for
themselves and their private projects
of power all the way from Berlin to
Bagdad and beyond.
"Governnent after government has.
by their influence, without open con-
quest of it's territory, been linked to-
gether in net of intrigue directed
against nothing less than the peace and
liberty Of the world. The meshes of
that intrigue must be broken.
"Of course, the imperial German gov
ernment and those whom it is using for
their own undoing are seeking to OBJ
tain pledges that the war will end in
the restoration of the status quo ante.
"No territory must change hands ex-
cept for the purpose of securing those
who inhabit it a fair chance of life
and liberty. No indemnities must be
insisted on except those that consti-
tute payment for manifest wrongs
done. No readjustments of power
must be made except such as will tend
to secure the future peace of the world
and the future welfare and happiness
of it's peoples"