Meade County news., 1917-11-08


Neutrality Is no longer feasible or
lesirable where the peace of the world
y involved and the freedom of it's peo-
lies, and the menace TO that peace and
freedom Hes in the existence of auto
rattle governments, backed by organ.
1ed force which In controlled wholly
by their Will, not by the Will of their
IeoPle. We have seen the last of neu-
raIIty In such circumstances. We arc
It the beginning of an age in which II
Will be insisted that the snme stand
,rds of conduct and of responsibility
for wrong done shall be observed
among nations and their governments
that are observed among the individual
citizens of civilized states.
We have no quarrel with the German
people. We have no feeling toward
them but one of sympathy and friend
ship. 1t was not upon their impulse
that their government acted in enter
ing the war 1t was not with their
previous knowledge or approval. 1t
was war determined upon as wars
used to be determined upon in the old
unhappy days when peoples were no.
where consulted by their rulers and
wars were provoked and waged in the
interest of dynasties or of little groups
of ambitious men who were accustomed
to use their fellow men as pawns and
tools
Self-gOverned nations do not fill their
nelRhbOr states with spies set the
course of intrigue to bring about some
critical posture of affairs which will
give them nm opportunity to strike and
make conquest. Such designs can be
successfully worked out only under
cover and where no one has the right
to ask questions. CunninGly cOntrived
plans Of deception or aggression, car
rIed, II may he from generation TO gen
GRAFTON, can be worked out and kept
from the light only within the privacy
of courts or behind the carefully guard
ed condolences Of narrow and privi-
legged class. They nre happily Impossi-
BILE where public opinion commands and
insists upon full information concern
Ing all the nations affairs.
A stendfRst concert for peace can
never be maintained except by part
nershIp of democratic nations. No nu-
tOcratic government could be trusted
to keep faith within 1t or observe Its
covenants. 1t must be league OF
honor, n partnershIp of opinion. In
trigue would ent Its vitnIs awayj the
pIOttings of inner circles who could
plan what they would, and render nc
count to no one, would be a corruption
seated at Its very henrt. Only free peO-
pie can hold their purpose and their
honor steady to common end, ana
prefer the interest of mankind to any
narrow interest of their own.
Does not every American feel that
assurance has been added to our hope
for the future peace of the world by
the wonderful and heartening things
that have been happening within the
last few weeks in Russia? Russia was
known by those who knew her best
to have been always in fact democratic
at heart In all vital habits of her
thought, in all the intimate relation
ships of her people that spoke their
natural instinct, their habitual attitude
toward life. The autOcracy that crown
ed the summit of her political struc-
ture, long ms II had stood and terrible
az was the reality OF its power, was
not in fact Russian in origin, charnc-
ter, or purpose, and now 1t has been
shaken off and the great generous Rus
sian people have been added, In all
their native majesty and might, to the
forces that are fighting for freedom In
the world, for Justice, and for peace.
Here Is a fit partner for league or
honor.
One of the things that have served
to convince us that the PruSslan nutO-
crncy was not and could never he our
friend IL that from the very outset of
present
suspectIng communities, and even our
Offices of government, with spies md
set criminal IntrIgues everywhere nfoOt
against our national unity of counsel,
our peace within and without, our In
dustrIea, and our commerce. Indeed II
Is now evident that It's spies were here
even before the war began and IL liz
unhnppIIy not n matter of conjecture,
hut a fact proven in our courts Ot JUS
tIce, that the Intrigues which have
more than once come perIlOuAly near to
disturbing the peace and diSlOcnting
the Industries of the country, have been
carried on at the InStigatiOn, with the
support, and even under the personal
directions of OfficiaI agents of the Inn
perInI government accredited to the
government of the United States.
Even in checking these things and
trying to extirpate them we have
sought to put the most generous inter-
probation possible upon them, because
we knew that their source lay not In
any hostile feeling or purpose OF the
German people toward us (whO were
no doubt, ms ignorant of them ns we
ourselves Vvere), but only in the selfish
designs of a government that did what
1t pIeased and told it's people nothing.
But they have played their part In scrV-
ing to convince us mt last that that
government entertains no real friend
shin for us and means to act against
Our ueace and security at its convent
ence. That II means to stir up enemies
against MS at our very doors, the In
tercepted note to the German minister
at Mexico City iH eloquent evidence.
We are accepting this challenge of
hostile purpose because we know that
in such a government, following such
methods, we can never have a friend
md that in the presence OF Its organ
lied power, always lying In wait to
accomplish we know not what pur-
pose, there can be no assured security
for the democratic governments of the
world. We are now about to accept
the gage of battle with the natural foe
to liberty, and shall, II necessary, spend
the whole force of the nation to check
and nullify it's pretenslons and its pow
er. We are glad now that we see the
facts with no veil of false pretenss
about them, to flEht thus for the ultl-
mate pence of the world and for the
liberation of its peoples, the German
ueOpIea included for the rights of na-
tIona, great and small, md the privi-
Iege Of men everywhere to choose their
way of life and OF obedience.
The. world must be made safe for
democracy. It's peace must be planted
upon the tested foundations OF political
liberty. We have no selfish ends to
serve We desire no conquests, nc
dominion. We seek no indemnitles for
ourselves, no material compensation
for the sacrifices we shall freely make
We are but one of the champions OF
the rights OF mankind. We shall be
satisfied when those rights have beer
NIA fafN l..