The Washington herald., 1917-04-22
War;!
rFrom Chamberln's MaEa1ine.j


now barred from asking whether the
nation today would face this catastro-
phe had President Wilson and his Cab
met been seasoned diplomats when
the bugles FIRST sounded in 1914. or
had they been less warmly pro-ally
since that fateful hour. We have no
longer the right to point out that Eng
land, also, would sink our ships. and
sink them without warning, if we pre-
sisted in sending them through the
mine fields to Hamburg as we persist
in sending them through to Liverpool.
No longer may we say these things.
think them. The time has come for
action. united action; one people, one
flag, on one motive-to destroy brute
autocracy that has the German people
and the world by the throat.
In this hour when we see the peace
full and prosperous routine of life in
terrupted, when we, hear the martial
strains calling to our sons to give their
blood upon the battle6elds. it were
we'll for for us to read again the words
Of President Wilson as he stood before
our representatives in Congress. say
ing:
"It is a fearful thing to lead this
great peaceful country into war. into
the most terrible and disastrous of all
wars. civilization itself seeming to be
in the balance. But the right is more
precious than peace. and we shall fight
for the things which we have always
carried nearest our hearts-for democ-
racy, for the right of those who sub
nit to authority to have a voice in
their own governments. for the rights
and liberties of small nations. for a
universal dominion of right by such
a concert of free peoples as shall bring
peace and safety to all nations and
make the world itself at last free.
TO such a task we can dedicate
our lives and our fortunes. everything
that we are and everything that we
have, with the pride of those who
know that the day has come when
America is privileged to spend her
blood and her might for the principles
that gave her birth and happiness and
the peace which she has treasured"
Not in passion do we arrive at this
climax. We have reached it only in
reluctance. in full appreciation of its
meaning; but, again. in an unfaltering
determination. if the task must be un-
dertaken. to do it well and carry it
through to success. The President him
self sounded the dispassionate loftiness
of our mood in these words:
The challenge is to all mankind.
Each nation must decide for itself how
it will meet it. The choice we make
for ourselves must be made with a
moderation of counsel and a temper
ance of judgment be6tting our charac-
ter and our motives as a nation. We
must put excited feeling away. Our
motives will not be revenge or the VIC
tonous assertion of the physical might
of nation, but only the vindication
of right, of human right. of which we
are only single champion.
In justifying our condemnation of
the German war lords and in nervins
ourselves to go through the struggle,
no matter what it may demand of us,
we can do no better than to read again
from that splendid address of our
President:
"A steadfast concert for peace can
never be maintained except by a part
nership of democratic nations. No au-
tocratic government could be trusted
to keep faith within it or observe its
covenants. 1t must be a league of
honor. a partnership of opinion. In
trigue would eat its vitals away; the
plottings of inner circles who could
plan what they would and render ac-
count to no one would be corruption
seated at its very heart. Only free
peoples can hold their purpose and
their honor steady to a common end,
and prefer the interests of mankind to
any narrow interest of their own."
This should be the text of our bat
tie song. 1t is not for ourselves alone,
but for the whole world of the common
people, that we now buckle on the
sword and shoulder the musket. To
arms, then. fellow citizens. We have
lived for the principles of democracy;
let US prove that we can die for themI
BROTHERHOOD TO DANCE.