Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-04-06


against our peace and security at its
convenience. That 1t means to SIR up
enemies against US at our very doors,
the intercepted note to the German
minister at Mexico City is eloquent
evidence.
Accept the CHALLENGE.
I'VE are accepting this challenge of
| hostile purpose because we know that
In such government, following such
methods, we can never have a friend;
and that in the presence of its organ
lied power, always lying in wait to
accomplish we know not what purpose.
there can be no assured security for
! the democratic governments of the
world.
I'VE are now about to accept the
gauge OF battle with this natural foe
to liberty and shall, If necessary. spend
the whole force of the nation to check
and nullify its pretensions and its pow
er. We are glad, now that we see the
facts with no veil of false pretense
about them, to fight thus for the ulti-
mate peace of the world and for the
liberation OF its peoples, the German
peoples included; for the rights of ma
lions great and small and the priVi-
lege Of men everywhere to choose their
way OF life and OF obedience The
world must be made safe for demo-
cracy Its police must be planted |
upon the trusted foundations OF po- |
litical liberty.
We have no selfish ends to serve. |
We desire no conquest, no dominion. /
We seek no indemnities for ourselves, |
no material compensation for the sac |
rifices we shall freely make. We are
but one Of the champions of the rights /
of mankind. We shall be satisfied
when those rights shave been as Sc
cure as the faith and the freedom of
the nations can make them.
Just because we fight without ran
cor and without selfish objects, seek
ing nothing for ourselves but what we
shall wish to share as a free people, we
shall, | feel confident, conduct our
operations as belligerents without pas
sion and ourselves observe with proud
pnnctilfousness the principles of right
md of fair play we profess to be fight
ing for.
Il have said nothing of the govern
nents allied with the imperial gov
eminent of Germany because they
nave not made war upon us or chal-
enged us to defend our rights and
'ur honor. The Austro- Hungarian
government has indeed avowed it's I'M
Qualified Endorsement and acceptance
" the reckless and lawless submarine
warfare adopted now without disguise
" the imperial German government,
nd 1t has therefore not been possible
or this government to receive Count
the ambassador recently
ccredited to this government by the
imperial and royal government of Aus
but that government
as not actually engaged In warfare
gainst citizens of the United States
n the seas, and / take the liberty, o
Dr. the present. at least, of postpon- n
lg a decision of our relations with q
ie authorities at Vienna. We enter );
lis war only where we are clearly
reed into it because there are no
Their means of defending our rights.
1T will be all the easier for us to
,nduot ourselves as belligerents in a D'
Ugh spirit of right and fairness be- G
iuse we act without animus, not in b.
unity towards a people or with the OF
esire to bring any injury or disad. b,
lntage upon them, but only in armed cl
position to an irresponsible govern hi
emit which has thrown aside all con- ",
derations of humanity and of right
Id is running amuck. =,
Friend to German People. NJ
I'VE are, let me say again, the sim II
re friends of the German people, m
Id shall desire nothing so much as N
@ early establishment of intimate q,
lations OF mutual advantage between
however hard 1t may be for them.
r the time being, to believe that this
spoken from our hearts. We have WI
rne with their present government WI
rough all these bitter months be-
use OF that notwithstanding
thence and forebearance which bu
,uld otherwise have been impossible. -
We shall, happily, still have an OPP
rtunity to prove that friendship in
r daily attitude and actions toward
Q millions of men and women of
rman birth and native sympathy
10 live amongst us and share our
3. and we shall be proud to prove
towards all who are In fact loyal to
sir neighbors and to the government
the hour of test. They are. most of
'tut dS true anu losdk <NAueSiNahS 90
they had never known any other
lily or allegiance. They viii be
,mpt to stand with us in rebuking
1 restraining the few who may be
different mind and purpose.
( there should be disloyalty, 1t will
dealt with with firm hand Of
m repression; but, II it lifts its
I'd at all. II will lift il only here and
re and without countenance except
m a lawless and malignant few. K
n rs distressing and oppressive
Y, gentlemen of the congress, which
ave performed in thus addressing
|. There are. ii may be. many 3
nths of fiery trial and sacrifice
ad of us. II is fearful thing to
! this great peaceful country into
:, into the most terrible and dis
rous of all wars. civilization itself
ming to be in the balance. But Ii
l.