Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-01

E1HE celebration of the 141st an
niversary of the independence
of the United States on the
& Fourth of July will be one OF
patriotic Thanksgiving that America is
again to be the means of sounding the
clarion call of liberty to the world. and
though engaged for the fourth time in
q foreign war, she has the consolation
of knowing that in this war, as In the
three preceding ones. she has not been
the aggressor.
The landing at British port on June
. of Maj Gen. John ]. Pershing, COM
mander of the first contingent OF the
American army to enter the European
war, is another living example OF the
power of that immortal declaration
made by the representatives, OF the
thirteen colonies assem- bled In Phiiaoei
phia on July 4, 1875, that has resounded
around the world. calling from the
shadow of oppression and tyranny into
the light of progress the liberty-ioVing
people of all nations.
That America is ready to give phys
zeal as well as moral and financial sup
port to safeguard her own people and
help her oppressed allies was demon
legal fighting age placed their names
ON the nations roll of honor and pub
lished to the world that the truths
enunciated in the Declaration OF Inde-
pendence over century ago were no
mere scraps OF pap per, f ba, eathere g
force and breadth as the years have
passed. -
which will be selected the first actual
"a uonlllatiOn
100000 ready to help sustain them
in the field. and. If need be. furnish
more fighting men to keep the ag-
Rressor from strewing the seas with
the bodies of American women and
children and laying waste the broad
acres of the greatest agricultural ana
industrial country on the globe Ihls
body of 100000 fighting men. many
of them descended from the patriots of
l716. is only beginning in this TWEEN
tieth century war Of Independence.
Every man, woman and child in the
United States is ready to put shoulders
to the wheel.
1t was almost year after the CONT
mental army was organized and George
Washington was made commander-in =
chief, with the rank OF major general.
June is, 1775. that there was Solemn
ly published and declared" on July 4.
1T7e, In Philadelphia. the note of free
DOM which has resounded around the
world: I'VE, therefore. the representa-
tiyes of the United States of America.
in general Congress. assembled. appeal
ing to the Supreme Judge of the World
for the rectitude of our intentions, do.
in the name, and by the authority OF
the good people of these colonies. SOL
EMMY publish and declare that these
united colonies are. and of right ought
to be, free and independent states; that
they are absolved from all allegiance
to the British crown, and that all po-
iticaI connection between them and the
state of Great Britain is and ought to
be totally dissolved. and that as free and
independent states they have full pow
er to levy war, conclude peace. contract
alliances establish commerce and to
do all other acts and things which in
dependent states may of right do. And
for the support OF this declaration,
with firm reliance on the protection
of Divine Providence, we mutually
pledge to each other our lives, our for
tunes and our sacred honor
The 100000 people of the colonies
who fought that war for independence
have now increased to 1913 ,0o0. 600, with
the same courage and resolution to
fight for right and humanity. The
United States. in the present foreign
war. as in the war o. 1872, the Mexican
war and the Spanish-American war,
has not been the aggressor. nor did this
country declare war on Germany; but,
after months of patient diplomacy.
when the destruction of American lives
and property could no longer be en-
dured. President Wilson. in language
similar to that used by the Presidents
In their messages to Congress in the
three preceding foreign wars. in his
war message that has been published
throughout the world advised that the