The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-12-04
ALL talk
IContlnued From Page One.]
Spokesman Of People.

But from another point of view l
believe that it is necessary to say
plainly what we, here at the seat OF
action, consider the war to be for and
what part we mean to play in the set
Element of its searching issues. We
are the spokesman of the American
people and they have right to know
whether their purpose is ours. They
desire peace by the overcoming OF
evil, by the defeat once for all of the
sinister forces that interrupt peace
and render it impossible and they
wish to know how closely our thought
runs with theirs and what action we
propose.
"They are impatient with those who
desire peace by any sort OF comprom-
ise--deeply and Indignantly, impatient
but they will be equally impatient
with US if we do not make it plain to
them what our detectives are and
what we are planning for in seeking to
make conquest of peace by arms
Il believe that | see for them when
| say two things:
First, that this intolerable thing of
which the masters of Germany have
shown us the ugly face, this menace
of combined intrigue and force which
we now see SO clearly as the German
power thing without conscience or
honor or capacity for covenated peace.
must be crushed and, if it be not ut
terly brought to an end, at least shut
out from the friendly intercourse of
the nations; and, second, that when
this thing and its powers are indeed
defeated and the time comes that we
can discuss peace-when the German
people have spokesman whose word
we can believe and when those spokes-
men are ready in the name of their
people to accept the common judg-
ment of the nations as to what shall
henceforth be the basis of law and a
covenant for the rest of the world
we shall be willing and glad to pay
the full price for peace and pay it I'M
grudgingly. We know what that peace
will be. 1t will be full, impartial JUS
tice-justice done at every point and
TO every nation that the final settle
ment must affect, our enemies as we'll
as our friends,
Voices More Audible.
Touch with me the voices of hui
mainly that are in the air They
grow daily far more audible, more ar
ticulate. more persuasive, and they
where. They insist that the war
shall not end in vindictive action of
any kind; that no nation or people
shall be robbed or punished because
the irresponsible rulers of a single
country have themselves done deeds
and abominable wrong.
1T is this thought that has been ex-
pressed in the formula; No annexa-
tjnn contributions iy,
IDENTITIES. Just because this truth
formula expresses the instructive judg-
ment as to rights TO plain men every
where, 1t has been made diligent use
of by the masters of German intrigue
TO lead the people Of Russia astray
and the people of every other country
their agents could reach, in order that
j premature peace might be brought
about before autocracy has been
taught it's final and convincing lesson
and the people of the world put in
control of their own destinies
But the fact that a wrong use has
teen made of just idea is no reason
why right use should not be made of
it. 1t ought to be brought under the
patronage of its real friends Let it
be said again that autocracy must first
be shown the utter futility of It's
claims to power or leadership in the
modern world.
Can't Deal With EN-.
1T is impossible to apply any stand
ard of justice so long as such forces
are unchecked and undefeated as the
present masters OF Germany COM
mand. Not until that has been done
can right be set up as arbiters and
peace-maker among the nations But
when that has been done11as, God
E willing. it assuredly will be-we shall
at least be free to do an unprecedent-
ed thing and this is the time to avow
our purpose to do it. We shall be
free to base peace on generosity and