Dresden enterprise and Sharon tribune. (Dresden, Tenn.) 1907-1997, 1917-07-20

sued was the only course left to
take.
Culture historians may roam the
fields of disputation if they choose.
We now have other work to do, 9TH
er mighty labor to perform.
81 venture to charge you by all
that is holy and great and sacred in
our national traditions and princi-
pies, my countrymen, that the time
for argument as to fundamentals
has gone. We may and doubtless
shall as events arise differ as to
some details, but upon fundamental
things related to our cause we must
differ no longer. This is no time
for the play Of petty politics and
puny personal passions. We are
treading the mountain ranges Of
human and national hfe; let every
man and woman realize this to the
full and if any there be left in the
mist of the valley, let them at once
consecrate mind and body and spir-
it. and moving out from the shad-
ows, take their places with those
who are pushing forward in the
sunlight,
"Know you, oh my friends, that
this nation is fighting for rights as
sacred as ever sword was drawn for,
is fighting to preserve the principles
Of democracy here and to keep its
spirit alive throughout the world.
That is of vastly more Importance
than any life of yours.
"The lads who have gone from this
community and who are yet to go
to the colors of this republic must
have behind them the unalloyed SYM
pathy, the unflinching support of ev-
cry man and every woman. They
have gone and are going to fight for
YOU and for those who are to come
after through the long ages yet to
be. God pity the poor soul who,.
while they are offering life for the
perpetuation of liberty and the
maintenance of the laws of civiliza-
ton, will permit himself to stand
forth and argue and dispute the JUS
tice of the cause.
"This is no political issue; this is
no contest of personalities. This the
vastest struggle of the ages; this is
the issue of democracy VS.. autocra-
cy; of civilization and civilized laws
VS.. the wanton and barbarous prac-
tees of ambitious Imperialism. Let
that saturate your minds and hearts
and steel them for the long and des-
perate struggle ahead; for unless
practically all indications are mis-
leading it is to be long land we
know it is to be desperate.
81 have been somewhat surprised
and more chagrined to find here and
there even among our reading peo-
pie individuals who apparently have
gotten the facts distorted. There
are those who actually seem to think
that the president and the congress
of the United States are response
BILE for initiative of war with Ger
many and limitations are even
made that the influence of groups
Of wealthy men exerted through the
press and otherwise upon public
opinion, caused us to enter.
This war is not for financial prof
it, nor did we initiate the entrance
of this nation into it.
mo man in authority in the his
tory of the world ever tried more
earnestly to keep nation out OF
war than did the great president Of
the United States; nobody clothed
with authority to declare war ever
sat so patient under multiplied prov
ocations as did the congress of the
United States.
Germany chose to force the issue.
Reason has primed our rifle and JUS
tice has drawn our sword and from
it's sharpened point there flashes the
light of heaven. We entered not be-
cause we would, but because we
must Ours is a war of defense, not
of aggression.
There are certain principles OF
international law so we'll fixed, so
thoroughly sanctioned by the intel
ligence of mankind and the practice
of nations as to be beyond cavil or
dispute. Among those principles is
the one which declares that the seas
of the earth are the free highways OF
nations for the transportation Of le-
climate commerce and the travel OF
citizens.
when war exists between two or
more nations the exercise of this
right by a neutral must, of course,
be under some restrictions and linn
itations. A belligerent power has