The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-04-04

But they have played their part in
serving to convince us at least that
that government entertainS no real
friendship for us and means to act
against our peace and security at it's
convenience. That it means to stir
up enemies against us at our very
doors the intercepted note to the Ger
man minister at Mexico City is elo-
quent evidence.
We are accepting this challenge of
hostile purpose because we know that
in such a government, following such
methods, we can never have a friend :;
and that in the presence of it's organ
lied power, always lying in wait to
accomplish we know not what pur-
pose, there can be no assured security
for the democratic governments of the
world.
Accept Gauge of Battle.
We are now about to accept gauge
Of battle with this natural foe to lib
erty and shall if necessary spend the
whole force of the nation to check and
nullify its pretensiOns and its power.
We are glad, now that we see the facts
with no veil of false pretense about
them, to fight thus for the freedom Of
the world and for the liberation of it's
people, the German people included e;
for the rights of nations, great and
small, and the privilege of men every
where to choose their way Of life and
of obedience The world must be
made safe for democracy. Its peace
must be planted upon the tested
foundations of political liberty. We
have no selfish ends to serve. We de-
sire no conquest, no dominion. We
seek no indemnitieS for ourselves, no
material compensation for the sacri-
fees we shall freely make. We are
but one of the champions of the rights
of mankind. We shall have been salts
as secure as the faith and the freedom
Of nations can make them.
DiscIaims Selfish Objects
Just because we fight without ram
cour and without selfish object, seek
ing nothing for ourselves but what we
wish to share with all free peoples, we
shall, feel confident, conduct our op-
erati0nS- as belligerentS without pas
sion and ourselves observe with proud
punctilio the principles of right and
of fair play we profess to be fight
ing for.
/ have said nothing of the govern
ments allied with the imperial gov
eminent of Germany, because they
have not made war upon us or chal-
lenged US to defend our right and our
honor. The Austro-Hungarian govern
ment has, indeed, showed it's unquali-
fed endorsement and acceptance Of
the reckless and laWless submarine
warfare adopted now without disguise
by the imperial German government,
and it has therefore not been possible
for this government to receive Count
TarnowSki, the ambassador recently
accredited to this government by the
imperial and royal government Of Aus
tria-Hungary; but that government
has not actually engaged in warfare
against citizens of the United States
on the seas, and take the liberty, for
the present at least, Of pOStpOning a
discussion Of our relations with the au-
thOrities at Vienna.
Mo Enmity Toward German People.
It will be all the easier for US to
conduct ourselves as belligerents in q
high spirit of right and fairness be-
cause we act without animus, not in
enmity towards a people with the de-
sire to bring any injury or disadvan-
tage upon them, but only in armed OPP
position to an irresponsible govern
ment which has thrown aside all con-
siderations of humanity and of right
and is running amuck. We are, let
me say again, the sincere friends of
the German people, and shall desire
nothing so much as the early re-eS-
adjustment of intimate relations Of
mutual advantage between uS-hoW-
ever hard it may be for them, for the
time being, to believe that this Is
spoken from our hearts.
1t is a distressing and oppressive
duty, gentlemen of the congress, which
have performed in thus addressing
you. There are, it may be, many
months of fiery trial and sacrifice
ahead of u.s. 1t is a fearful thing to
lead this great, peaceful country into
war, into the most terrible and disas-
trous of all wars, civilization itself
seeming to be in the balance.
Puts Right over Peace.
But the right is more precious than
peace, and we shall fight for the things
which we have always carried nearest
our hearts-for democracy, for the
right of those who submit to authority
to have q voice in their own govern
ments, for the rights and liberties of
small nations, for a universal dominion
of right by such concert of free peo-
pies as shall bring peace and safety to
all nations and make the world itself
at last free.
To such 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.
God helping her, she can do no other.
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