The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-09-03

short talk to members of his congre-
cation Sunday morning.
Seeing Straight is the subject DIR.
Beard chose in delivering his
message, and he upheld the Fargo
attitude throughout.
You all know that representatives
Of the so-called Peoples Council
were scheduled to speak in Fargo
last Tuesday night, and that the
loyal people Of Fargo refused to
listen to, their propaganda" said DR..
Beard.
You know also that this same
organization proposed to hold its
first national gathering in this city,
beginning yesterday and lasting to
the middle or latter part of this
week, and that this plan was given
up when ii was found that the loyal
people Of Fargo would vigorously en-
force the law against all persons
guilty of reasonable utterances.
You probably know also that this
So called Peoples Council has been
forbidden to hold its meeting or
meetings in Minnesota, Wisconsin,
and illinois, and that it is still look
ing for asylum.
Opposition Justified.
The cry has been raised that a
promulgate it's propaganda is an
abridgement of the freedom of
speech guaranteed by the constitu-
ton.
Under ordinary circumstances and
in ordinary times this would be true.
But the present circumstances and
times are very extraordinary. A
great many things are permissible
under certain circumstances that are
rightly prohibited under other
circumstances.
"A man has a perfect right to light
his cigar in his home, in his office,
or on the street; but in a powder
factory he has no such right.
The principle involved is always
observed by the courts when inter-
preting the constitutional provision
which guarantees the right Of free
speech.
"In the case of Warren against the
United States the circuit court of
appeals says. Liberty and freedom
Of speech guaranteed by the constitu-
ton does not mean the unrestricted
right to do and say what one pleases
at all times and under all circum-
stances ...s.
Under ordinary circumstances we
allow anarchists, socialists. of every
type, and even men who hate our
government, to speak their minds
| freely
But now is the time when democ-
| racy is in a life and death struggle
with autocracy; when purely in the
| interest of humanity we are engaged
in terrible war. Now that we have
gone into it we will not allow any
thing said or done to divide our
allegiance or distract our attention.
las Clarence barrow puts 1t, To-
day the great question of democracy
is trembling in the balance, and until
the world settles that question we
can settle nothing else
ut is of the utmost importance
that every American citizen should
see absolutely straight on this ques-
| ton. Let me try to state the issue
little more concretely, and to bring
| it a little nearer home. .-~~--~'. -------.
Ambassador Gerard says that
Won TiTpitz told him that Germany
was determined to bring England to
her knees, and that then the COM
bined fleets of England and Ger
many would sail for America and
make the United States pay for all
the costs of the war
Hear the calm and clear words
of President Wilson: The object OF
this war is to deliver the free peoples
of the world from the menace and
the actual power of a vast military
establishment controlled by an
| irresponsible government which,
having secretly planned to dominate
the world, proceeded to carry out the
| plan without regard either to the
sacred obligations of treaty or the
long established practices and long
cherished principles of international
honor; which chose it's own time for
the war, delivered its blow fiercely
and suddenly; stopped at no barrier
! either of law or mercy; swept a
whole continent within the tide of
blood-not the blood of soldiers only,
but the blood of innocent women and
children also, and of the helpless
poor; and now stands baked but
not defeated the enemy of four- fifths
! of the world And then President
! Wilson adds, This power is not the
German people, it is the ruthless
master of the German people. II is
no business of ours how that great
people came under it's control, or
submitted with temporary zest to the
domination of its purpose: but 1t is
our business to see to il that the his
tory of the rest Of the world is no
| longer left to its handling IL
We have gone into this war in the