The Jasper weekly courier., 1917-07-13

ABLE EXPONENT OF TRUE DEMOCRACY
Claud @. Bowers, Editor of the rort
Wayne journal Gazette, Speaks TO
Demo cratic Editors of Indiana.
BY Willis s. Thompson.

inGlanapONS, ufe oV. - H0N-o
elimination of one of the most inter-
esting meetings ever held by the dem
ocratic editors of Indiana, was the
banquet Friday night. Claud u
Bowers, editor of the Fort Wayne
Journal Gazette, was the princlpal
speaker. His address was splendid
tribute to the administration and the
towering personality of Woodrow
Wilson, the president who has sue
cessfully net more complex situations
involving greater and more serious
consequences, than any other eXecu-
tive who ever presided over the ma
ton.
In part Mr.. Bowers said:
eve meet this year in the midst OF
the mightiest war that we have ever
wared. for a greater stake than we
have ever played-for the preserve
tion and the extension of the bench
cent principles Of democracy during
the last three years the responsible
head of the American people has ad-
vanced every argument and resorted
to every plea in a patient effort 10
keep the sword within the scabbard'
But when a little coterie of men, mis-
representing, as | think, the people OF
Germany. dared to violate our rights
degrade our dignity, destroy the lives
of our people, and obstruct the path
way of democracy, while presuming
to put out the light of liberty, every
militant page Of our heriOc history
cried out in protest against the con-
sumation Of the crime
ct am ore of those who are proud OF
the feet that Wilson broke the per
before he drew the sword. The page
of history will record no parallel tc
the inenable patience with which ne
faced the provocations of Berlin anc
fought for peace. And then, con
fronted by the insufferable perfidy OF
stupidity of the junl1er crew, he facec
the world that day in the senate
chamber with the noblest appeal FOL
neace that has ever fallen from the
lips of mortal man. On that memor
able occasion he not only made an ut
terance that will rank in history as
one of the few immortal political pro
nouncements of all time, but he un
furled a banner that every devotee o.
liberty and democracy can follow WIFI
the sword.
"4isfory will dispute why Italy en-
tored the war, why England entered
The var. why Roumania entered tn
war. but thank God posterity vii
never be in doubt why America en-
tered the war-and the answer is thu
matchlass notes Of Woodrow Wilson
VII IN of the Sword.
"hnd this he miracle-the momen
he drew the sword the foremos
chamnion of peace became the mos
virile. far-seeing, energetic, conStruc
tive militant figure that ever le'
America AGAINST foe.
Gle had tn courage to proclaim
the passing Of the volunteer and t
demand conscription that can reacl
the rich and uoor alike, and make |
possible to utilize the service of eacl
man where it can best contribute I
the common cause. The protest of tn
Stacker and the coward and victim o
tra lition beat against the sterr
sf ranr figure of Woodrow Wilson
without avail-and now we have a
army of a million in the making be
fore whose tread the tyrants of tn
Garth may tremble.
"But that was not enough. w
needed ships-our allies needed ship
that they might live u-til we can loi
their soldiers with our runs. Fo
every shin that sinks before the tor
pcdo OF a submarine, another shl
must be launched upon the sea. An
Woodrow Wilson-the dreamer, nov
the most virile and tremendous doe
that ever led = people to the field o
bettlo-inslantly summoned to H.
side the titan of the Panama cana
ard ordered him 10 build a thousan
sbips and give them TO the waves
and almost in the twinkling of an ey
the gigantic genius of George Goe
thals was bending TO the task.
"But that was not enough. W
needed food-our allies needed fooC
Tho fertile fields Of France have sen
their toilers to the trench to hol
autocracv at bay. The men Of th
warning nations have been summone
TO other fields than those that grol
the grain. And the weary allied sold
iers on the fields of France, and tn
civilian population behind the firin
line. are more in fear of the lack G
bread than the want of bullets. Ever
man throughout the world who
fchtinc and suffering tonight in II
battle for liberty is looking to th
vast and fertile fields that are sprea
out TO the sun and rain between ou
eastern and western seas. Ar
Woodrow Wilson, the dreamer, now
deer. said to them:
"You give your shot and shell
the common enemy, and We VIII civ
our corn and wheat to YOU.
Hoover Called"
"Ard that promise carried, too, az
other impera ive duty that Woodro
Wilson met in the Woodrow Wise
way. He knew from history of tn
plgttors of greed that fatten on Il
necessities of q state in the days {
lattle. lie Knew OF the buzzards
saeeulation that hover over the tiel
where heroes fcht and die. H lSne
of the reptiles OF gain that snake the
way into the larders Of the women leI