Evening journal., 1917-06-20
THE PRESIDENT TELLS WHY WE FIGHT AND
WHEN WE WILL STOP

his recent flag day address at Washington Presi-
dent Wilson stated the American against Ger
many more forcefully and more logically than he or
anyone else has stated it before.
II is TO be hoped that everyone who even to himself
has questioned the righteousness Of our cause and the
necessity which compelled to enter the world war;
read the Presidents mastery presentation facts
More than any utterance which the President has
made concerning the war, either before or since we
got into IL, this flag day speech dealt with facts
The facts cannot be repeated often, the
subtle efforts which the German agents in this coun-
try renegade Congressman and pacihst dreamers are
making to poison public sentiment against the war
and handicap the government in its industrial and mill
tary preparations.
BY renegade Congressman we refer 10 those men
who abusing their postal ranking privilege by
spreading broadcast throughout the country copies OF
the pro-German speeches they made in Congress be-
fore war was declared in their attempts to defeat
the compulsory military service law.
The Presidents words ring out clear and true above
the fog OF all these proGerman sophistres and paci-
fist fallacies
The military masters of Germany denied us the
right 10 be neutral" That is the Presidents major
premise and frmer foundation have been laid
for the terrible indictment Of the military auto
cracy which followed
1t well That all Of us. especially those OF us who
faint hearted inclined to doubt the wisdom of
the policies which eliminated in declaration OF
against Germany. be reminded from time to time
that our against Germany was not OF our choos-
ing, but forced upon u.s. that It could not have
been avoided except with dshonor tho loss of self
respect
1T is plain enough how We were forced into the
war" said the President "The extraordinary insults
and aggressions Of the Imperial German Government
left us selfrespecng choice but to take up arms
in defense of our rights free people and OF our
honor sovereign government The military mas
III nfpd fho rich
They filled unsuspecting communities with vicious
spies and consprators and sought to corrupt the
opinion Of our people in their own behalf When they
found that they could do that their agents dill
gently spread sediton amongst and sought to draw
citizens from their allegiance and some of
these agents were connected with the German
Government itself here in capitol. They sought by
violence to destroy industries and our COM
merce They tried to incite Mexico to take up arms
against us and to draw Japan into hostile alliance
with her, and that not by ndrection, but by direct
suggestion from the foreign Office in Berlin
They impudenty denied the use of the high seas
repeatedly executed their threat that they would
send TO their death any of people who
approach the coasts Of Europe
And many OF our people corrupted. Mer
began TO look upon their neghbors with suspicion
and wonder in their resentment and surprise wheth
there any community in which hostile intrigu,
did not Turk What great nation in such circumstance
would not have taken up arms?
Much had desired peace it denied us
and not of choice. This flag under which W,
would have been dshonored had We withheld
hand"
That is our moral justification for now being at wal
with Germany; but as 'the President said it is only
part Of the story.
me other part is concerned with Germanys ambi-
uon for world domination the first step toward which
70 De me welding of all the central European States
ln'o great empire controlled by German miiitarism
which would hang Ike the sword OF Damoces over the
free democraces Of the world
be great shock to those who are hypnotiznr ,her,
selves into the belief that Germany is all hut defeated
that the Germans have actually carried the srssto
OF that plan into execution: From Hamburg 10 the
Persian gulf the net is spread"
And now having accomplished practically the mr.
pose for which they set the world on fire. the German,
want peace
The President says in effect that there can he n,
7eace until the Germans defeated and their dream