The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-12-08

tides that run now in the hearts and
consciences Of free men everywhere.
It's conclusion will run with those
tides.
"All these things have been true
from the very beginning of this stu
pendOus war; and can not help
thinking that if they had been made
plain al the very outset the sympa-
thy and enthuiasm of the Russian
people might have been once for all
enlisted on the side Of the allies, sus-
picion and distrust sweep away, and
a real and lasting union Of purpose
effected. Had they believed these
things at the very moment of their
revolution and had they been confirm
eel In that belief since, the sad reverses
which have recently marked the pro-
gress of their affairs towards an or
dered and stable government Of free
men might have been avoided. The
| Russian people have been poisoned
by the very same falsehoOds that have
kept the German people in the dark,
and the poison has been administer
ed by the very same hands. The only
possible antidote is the truth. It can
not be uttered too plainly or too often
From every point Of view, there
fore, it has seemed to be my duty to
speak these declarations of purpose,
to add these specific interpretations
to what took the liberty of saying
to the senate in January. Our en-
trance into the war has not altered
our Altitude towards the settlement
that must come when it is over. When
said in January that the nations Of
the world were entitled not only to
free pathways upon the sea but also
to assured and unmolested access to
those pathways 1 was thinking, and I
am thinking now, not Of the smaller
and weaker nations alone, which
need our countenance and support,
but also Of the great and powerful ma
tions, and of our present enemies as
we'll as our present associates in the
war. was thinking. and am think
Ing now. of Austria herself, among
the rest, as we'll as of Servia and Of
Poland. Justice and equality Of rights
can be had only at great price. We
are seeking permanent, not tempor-
airy, foundations for the peace of the
world and must seek them eandidly
and fearlessiy AS always, the right
!. will prove to be the expedient
What shall we do. then. to push
this great war of freedom and justice
to its righteous conclusion? We
must clear away with a thorough
hand all inpediments to success and
we must make every adjustment of
law that will facilitate the. full and
free use Of our whole capRcity and
force as fighting unit.
"One very embarrassing obstacle
that stands in our way Is that we are
at war with Germany but not with
her allies. I therefore very earnestly
recommend that the congress imme-
diately declare the United States in a
state Of war with Austria Hungary.
Does it seem strange to you that this
should be the conclusion OF the ar
gument have just addressed to you ?
1t Is not. 1t is, in fact, the inevitable
logic OF what / have said Austria .
hungary is for the time being not her
own mistress but simply the vassal OF
the German government. We must
face the facts as they are and act up
on them without sentiment in this
stern business. The government of
ria-Hungary is not acting upon it's
own initiative or in response to the
wishes and feelings of it's own peo-
pies but as the instrument of another
nation. We must meet it's force with
our own and regard the central pow
ers as but one. The war can be sue
cessfully conducted in no other way.
The same logic would lend also to -
declaration Of war against Turkey and
bulgaria. They also are the tools Of
Germany. But they arc mere tools
and do not yet stand in tho dIrec,
pain OIL our necessary action. We
shall go wherever the necessities Of
tEis war carry U.s. but 1t seems to me
mat we should go only where imme-
diate and practical considerations Icad
us and not heed any others.
The financial and military meas
ures which must be adopted will s,,g-
| geSt themselves as the way o,a ;,s