The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-06-06

memorable in that it is the frst
time this country has gone at the work
oI eQulpptng the nation with q MILL
tEy Iorce In the right way. The voiun-
tary method has always been q failure,
N the war of the rebellion thousands
first to volunteer. were uselessly
slaughtered like cattle in the SHAMELESS
while the number needed to make asuc-
cessful hight was slowly recruited by
the volunteer system. What has been
done on june is the first step in a
plan by which the number of recruits
needed shall all be available at the
proper time. OF course, after VIC have
the recruits 1t will take time to make
them soldiers. We ought to have
started these recruits two years ago,
put those who opposed preparedness
had their way and now we have to
suffer for it. 1t is a fact that those
who do not know are in the majority
lssues Involved in War.
The next important thing Is that
we clearly see the issues involved in
this war. What is this war for? II ig
TO secure for all men everywhere their
inalienable rights OF life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness. It is q. world
struggle between autocracy and de-
mocracy. The issue will AFFECT FOR
good or Ill the life of every human
being now on this planet, and that of
all the unborn generations to the end
Of time.
The hideous doctrine known the
world over as the autocratic idea of
the state is the dominating force in all
Prussianized nations. The Prussian
doctrine of the state is paganism pure
and simple, and makes any nation
avowing 1t an enemy OF civilization
and humanity. II maintains that the
state is law unto itself, and is above
the claims Of right and wrong, such as
are obligatory between man and man.
Hymn of German Sword.
1T behooves us all to see with vivid
ness and concreteness just what this
theory of the state Is. Let me read
therefore the terrible Hymn of the
German Sword. 1t was first published
in the university town of Leipsic, and
within a week was published in half
a dozen different editions and scat
tered broadcast over Germany as the
best and completest expression of the
Prussian doctrine of the state. The
writer of 1t, to make the doctrine he
would promulgate clear and vivid, en-
dows the German Sword with the
power OF speech, and here is what 1t
says. shudder every time / read 1t.
1t is no duty of mine to be either
just or compassionate: 1t suffices that
l am sanctifed by my exalted mission,
and that blind the eyes OF my enc
mics with such streams of tears as
shall make the proudest of them cringe |
in terror under the vault OF heaven.
have slaughtered the old and the |
sorrowful; / have struck off the
breasts of women; and have run
through the body of children who gag
ed at me with the eyes of the wounded |
lion.
Day after day I ride aloft on the |
shadowy horse in the valley of cyp-
resses; and as ride draw forth the |
life blood from every enemy's son that |
dares to dispute my path.
Tt Is meet and right that I should /
cry aloud my pride, for am I not the
daming messenger of the Lord AL
Germany is so far above and be-
yond all the other nations that all the
rest of the earth, be they who they
nay, should feel themselves Well done
by when they are allowed to fight with
he dogs for the crumbs that fall from
her table.
"'When Germany the divine is hap
oy, then the rest of the world basks
n smiles; but when Germany suffers,
God in person is rent with anguish,
md, wrathful and avenging. He turns
LII the waters into rivers of blood
THE language OF this outrageous
is the exalted language of
heaven, but the spirit is the genuine
brew of hell"