South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-03

| 10 not believe that the thought of
the nation has been altered or
clouded by them.
I have exactly the same things in
mind now that / had in mind when
| / addressed the senate on the 22nd
Of January last the same that
had in mind when addressed the
congress on the third Of February
and on the 26th of February Our
object now, as then, is to vindicate
the principles Of peace and the JUS
tice in the life Of the world as
against selfish and autocratic power
and 10 set up amongst the really
free and self governed peoples OF
the world such "A concert Of purpose
and Of action as will henceforth in
sure the observance of those prin-
lciples
Neutrality no Longer
Feasible or Desirable.
Neutrality is no longer feasible or
desirable where the peace of the
world is involved and the freedom
of their peoples and the menace TO
that peace and freedom lies in the
existence of autocratic governments
backed by organized force which is
controlled wholly by their Will. not
by the will of their people We have
seen the last of neutrality in such
circumstances
We are at the beginning of en-
age in which it Will be insisted that
the same standards Of conduct and
of responsibility for wrong done
shall be observed among nations and
their governments that are observ-
ed among the individual citizens of
civilized states.
We have no quarrel with the
German people We have no feeling
towards them, but one of sympathy
and friendship. 1t was not upon
their impulse that their government
acted in entering this war. II was
not with their previous knowledge
or approval
1t was a war determined upon as
wars used TO be determined upon in
the old unhappy days when peoples
were nowhere consulted by their
rulers and wars were provoked and
Naged 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 neighbor states with spies or
set the course of intrigue to bring
about some critical posture Of af-
fairs which will give them an OPP
portunity TO strike and make con-
quest Such designs can be success.
fully worked only under cover and
where no one has the right to ask
questions
Deception il Kept
Secret Through Courts.
Cunningly contrived plans of de
ception or aggression carried il may
be from generation TO generation.
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
privileged class. They are happily
impossible where public opinidn
commands and insists upon full in
formation concerning all the ma
tons affairs.
A steadfast concert for peace can
never be maintained except by a
partnership of democratic nations.
/ No autOcratic government could be
trusted to keep faith within il or
observe its covenants. II must be
league of honor, a partnership of
opinion. Intrigue would eat its vitals
away; the plottings of inner circles
who could plan what they would
and render account 20 no one would
4
heart. Only free peoples can hold
their purpose and their honor steady
TO a common end and prefer the In
/ terests of mankind to any narrow
interests 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 hearten-
ing things that have been happening
within the last few weeks in Rus
STA?
Russia was known by those who
knew il best 10 have been always
lin fact democratic at heart. in all
the vital habits OF her thought, in
all the intimate relationships of her
/ people that spoke their natural in
stnct. their habitual attitude to-
ward life.
AutOcracy i'm Fact
Not Russian i'm Origin.
The autOcraCy that crowned the
summit of her political structure.
long as il has stood and terrible as
was the reality of its power, was
not in fact Russian in origin. char
acter or purpose; and now it has
been shaken off and the great, gem
erous Russian people have been add
ed in all their naive majesty and
, might TO the forces that are fighting
for freedom in the world. for justice
land for peace. Here is a fit partner
I for a league Of honor
/ one Of the things that has served
to convince us that the Prussian
autocracy was not and could never
be our friend is that from the very
outset OF the present war. it has
hued our unsuspecting communities
and even our offices of government
( with spies and set criminal intrigues
everywhere afoot against our ma
tional unity OF council, our peace
within and without, our industries