The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-06-30
Duty First American Slogan II
Nation Wins In World Struggle
Address by Attorney John Fleming Delivered Before
the Rotary Club of Fargo Wednesday Noon

1 free people and of our honor as SOW
ereign government.
History Of Gernany's Aggressions.
Passing over the sinking Of the Luz
sitania and other offenses it will be
useful and I trust instructive, to state
the progress of events during the pres
ent year.
On january %. the President de-
livered before the senate an address,
previously forwarded to the American
ENJOYS in the beIligerent countries in
which he set forth conditions in which
the government would feel justified in
asking our people to approve the formal
and solemn adherence Of the United
States to league of peace. Prefacing
his speech with the statement that the
replies of the nations at war his note
to the discussion of the peace which
was to end the war. he went on to say
that the end Of hostilities could not now
be long delayed, and that the United
States owed 1t to itself and to the
world not to shrink from taking it's
part in laying afresh and upon a new
plan the foundations of peace among
the nations. In his opinion the United
States should not refuse the service OF
adding it's authority and power to the
authority and force of other nations to
guarantee peace throughout the world,
and it was right to formulate frankly
the conditions on which 1t would be
willing to do SO.
Starting with the proposition that the
peace should be one worth guarantee
ing and approving lone, namely, that
would win the approval of mankind
and would not merely serve the several
interests and immediate aims of the
nations engaged, he proceeded to define
W a
should imply. 1t should be guaranteed,
he said, by force so much greater than
the force of any nation now engaged
or any alliance hitherto formed or pro-
jected that no nation, no probable COM
bination of nations, could face or with
stand it. 1t should be a peace without
victory, founded on equality and COM
mon participation in common benefit,
upon the common strength, not upon
the individual strength. of nations;
peace based on the principle that gov
ernments derive all their Just powers
from the consent of the governed and
that no right anywhere exists to hand
people about from sovereignty to
sovereignty as If they were property.
That every great nation should be
assured a direct outlet to the high
ways OF the sea, and be given free ac-
cess. either by cession Of territory or
to the open paths sof the worlds COM
merce, a somewhat radical reconsider
alton of many Of the rules of interna-
tional practice in. order to make the
seas free and common In practically
all circumstances for the use of man
kind. Finally there should be that
moderation Of ornaments which makes
Of armies and navies a power for order
merely, not an instrument OF agrees
sion or selfish violence.
Thus was the position of the United
States made clear to the world through
the formal declarations OF the Presi-
dent. A new and grave situation inn
mediateIy DEVELOPED. The crisis was
precipitated by the presentation to the
American government on behalf OF the
the German government of note ana
two memoranda, which set forth Ger
many's intention of inaugurating
more extensive submarine warfare:
The note acknowledged the receipt OF
the Presidents address to the senate,
with the principles and desires or
which it declared that Germany was IN
sympathy and in proof of which 1t CIT
ed the peace proposals OF the ceneral
powers contrasting GerTpanyss inter
probation of the aims of the allies. 1t
then called attention to the restrictions
put on the legitimate trade OF neutrals
DIV the Will pun POSO Va 49,
ing women and children, the sick and
the aged, to suffer for their country
pains and privations that endanger the
vitality of the nation, it dwelt on the
fruitless efforts made by Germany TO
induce the allies to return to the rules
of international law and to respect the
freedom of the seas. The note then de-
clares that, its enemies having an
swered the proposals Of the Entente
powers with the announcement of an
intensified continuance of the war. the
imperial government-in order to serve
the welfare OF mankind in a higher
sense and not wrong its own people
is now compelled to continue the fight
for existence, again forced upon 1t.
with the full employment of all
weapons which are at its disposal. The
details of the contemplated measures
were made clear in two memoranda.
One of these declared that from Feb
ruary 1, 1917, sea traffic would be
stopped with every available weapon
and without further notice in certain
blockaded zones around France, Great
Britain and Italy.
Sufficient time was to be given neu-
trail vessels IN the vicinity of the