The Lovington leader., 1917-04-13

- tsNe''s e11 tota lNo RtoHt0
nothing.
But they have played their part In
serving TO convince us at last that
that government entertains no real
friendship for W and means TO act
against our people and security at its
convenience.
That IL means to stir up enemies
against US at our very doors. the In
tercepted note TO the German minis
ter at Mexico City is eloquent eyi.
dence.
Fight That World May Be Safe.
We are accepting this challenge OF
hostile purpose because We know that
/, In such government. following such
methods. We can never have a friend,
and that In the presence OF its or.
ganized power, always lying in wait
TO accomplish We know not what pur.
pose. there be no assured security for
the democratic governments Of the
world.
We are now about TO accept the
gauge OF battle with this natural foe
TO liberty and shall. II necessary,
spend the whole force of the nation
to check and nullify its pretension.
and its power
We are glad. now that We see the
facts with no veil of false pretense
about them. TO fight thus Tor the uti
mate peace OF the world and for ths
liberation OF its people, the German
peoples included, fer the rights of ma
tions great and small and the priyi
lege OF men everywhere to choose
their way OF life and of obedience
The world must be made safe for de
inocracy. Its peace must be planted
upon the trusted foundations OF polit
ical liberty.
We have no selfish ends to serve
We desire no conquest, no dominion
We seek no indemnities for ourselves
no material compensation for the sac,
rlfices We shall freely make. We are
but one of the champions of the rights
OF mankind. We shall be satisfied
when those rights have been as secure
as the faith and the freedom of the
nations can make them.
Just because we fight without ran
cour and without selfish objects, seek
ing nothing for ourselves but what we
shall wish to share as free peoples
we shall, feel confident, conduct our
operations as belligerents without pas
sion and ourselves observe with proud
punctiliousness the principles of right
and OF fair play We profess to be
fighting for.
| have said nothing OF the govern
ments allied with the imperial gov.
ernment 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, avowed its unqual.
lfied Endorsement and acceptance OF
the reckless and lawless submarine
warfare adopted now without disguise
by the imperial Ge.man government,
| and II has therefore not been posi-.
BILE for this government to receive
Count Tarnowski, the ambassador re.
Gently accredited to this government
by the imperial and royal government
or Austro'llungary; but that govern.
ment has not actually engaged in war.
iare against citizens OF the United
states on the seas, ana ! take the lib.
erty, FOR the present at least, of post.
poning decision of our relations with
the authorities at Vienna. We enter
this war only whera we are clearly
forced into it because there are no
other means Of defending our rights.
1t will be all the easier for us to
conduct ourselves as belligerents in a
high spirit of right and fairness be-.
cause We act without animus, not in
enmity towards a people or with the
desire to bring any injury or disad.
vantage upon them, but only in armed
opposition to an irresponsible govern
ment which has thrown aside all con.
sideration OF humanity and OF right
and Is running amuck.
We are, let me say again, the sin.
cere friends OF the German people,
and shall desire nothing SO much as
the early establishment of intimate
relations OF mutual advantage between
us--however hard it may be for them
to believe that this is spoken from
our hearts.
We have borne with their present
government through all these bitter
months because of that friendship
exercising a patience and forbearance
which would otherwise have been i'm.
possible.
We shall, happily, still have an op.
portunity to prove that friendship In
our daily attitude and actions towards
the millions of men and women OF
German birth and native sympathy
who live amongst US and share our
life, and we shall be proud to prove il
towards all who are in fact loyal to
their neighbors and to the government
in the hour OF test.
they are. most OF them, as true and
loyal Americans as II they had never
known any other fealty or allegiance,
They Will be prompt to stand with Us
in rebuking and restraining the few
who may be Of different mind and
purpose.
II there should be disloyalty, II will
be dealt with with a firm hand of
stern repression; but. II 1t lifts its
head at all. It will lift II only here and
there and without cOuntenance except
from lawless and malignant few.
1t Is a distressing and oppressive
duty. gentlemen Of the Congress.
which l have performed in thus ad.
dressing you. There are, It may be.
many months'of fiery trial and sacri.
flee ahead OF us. 1t is q fearful thing
to lead this great. peaceful country
into war. into the most terrible and
disastrous Of all wars. civilization
itself seeming to be in the balance.
But the right is more precious than
peace. and we shall fight for the
things which we have always carried
nearest our hearts-f0r domocroc,, Co..