Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-11-09

nothing for ourselves but what we shal
wish to share with all free people WI
SHALL feel confident, conduct our oper-
ations as belligerents without passion
and ourselves observe with proud pune
tilio the principles of right and of fair
play we profess to be fighting for.
1 have said nothing of the govern
ments allied with the Imperial gov
ernment of Germany because they have
not made war upon us or challenged
us to defend our right and our honor.
The AustrO-Hungarian government has,
indeed, avOwed its unqualified indOrse-
ment and acceptance of the reckless
and IawIess submarine warfare, adOpt-
ed now without disguise by the Imper-
iaI German government, and 1t has
therefore not been possible for thi.
government to receive Count TarnOW-
ski, the ambassador recently accredited
to this government by the Imperial and
Royal government of fAustria-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 authorities at Vi
emma. We enter this war only where
we are clearly forced into 1T because
there are other means of defending
our rights.
1t will be all the easier for us te
conduct ourselves as beIIigerents in q
high spirit of right and fairness be-
cause we act without animus, not with
enmity toward a people OF with the
desire to bring any injury or dIsad-
vantage upon them, but only I'm armed
opposition to an irresponsible govern
ment which has thrown aside all con-
sideratfOns of humanity and of right
and Is running amuck.
We are, let me say again, the sim
cere friends OF the German people, and
shall desire nothing SO much as the
early re-establishment of intimate reIa-
tiOns of mutual advantage between us,
however hard 1T may be for them for
the time being to believe that this In
spoken from our hearts. We have
borne with their present government
through all these bitter months be-
cause of that frien dship, exercising n
patience and fOrbearance which would
otherwise have been impossible.
We shall happily still have an op-
POrtunity to prove that friendship in
our daily attitude and actions toward
the millions of men and women of Ger
man birth and native sympathy who
live among us and share our life, and
we shall be proud to prove 1t toward
all who are in fact loyal to their neigh
bOrs and to the government in the hour
of test. They are most of them as true
and loyal Americans as If they had
never known any other feaIty or al
legiance. They will be prompt to stand
with us I'm rebuI<ing and restraining
the few who may be of a different mind
and purpose. If there should be dis
loyalty, 1T will be dealt with with a
firm hand of stern repression; but If
1t lifts its head at ali, 1t will lift ii
only here and there and without cOun-
HanRnRA M Iow and
malignant few.
1t is distressing and oppressive duty,
gentlemen of the congress, which ]
have performed In thus addressing you
There are, 1t may be, many months OF
fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of us.
1t is a fearful thing to lead this great
peaceful people into war, into the most
terrible and disastrous of all wars, civ
ilizatiOn 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-fOr democracy, for the
right of those who submit to authority
to have a voice in their own govern
ments, for the rights and liberties OF
small nations, for a universal dominion
of right by such a concert of free peo-
pie as shall bring peace and safety to
all nations and make the world. itself
at last free.
To such a task we can dedicate Ou1
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 he1
might for the principles that gave heI
birth and happiness and the peace
| which she has treasured.
God helping her, she can do mo other