Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-07
WASHINGTON. June :

WASHINGTON, June :.
Great significance was today being nlaced
here on a speech which Secretary of war
Newton y. Baker delivered to his ncighbors
III Georgetown outlining the issues Of tho
war as the Administration sees them, This
speech has not been made public before hut
oliicials generally here who secured copies
OF II today emphasized its Importance in
view OF the efforts now being made by the
RUSSIAN radicals to force a peace without
lhdemnitics or anneXations."
In the speech the War Secretary admitted
that the United States was utterly unpre-
pared for war, insisting that this showed
concusively that its objects at all times
nave been those of n real democracy and
without thought Of material benefit. lie
denounced German tactics in unmcasurcd
language, characterizing German methods
as "A complete surrender to the bestial"
PEACE BASED on RIGHTEOUSNESS
In part the Secretary Of War said:
by the rotation of events and the irre-
sstlble logic Of Righteousness which sum-
mon every brave arm to the right side of a
cause, the United States has entered this
war 1t will never turn back until it has
given the world peace, not merely n cessa-
ton of conflict but peace based upon right
eousness
1T is fight for principle and right, and
America responds to it, not gaily. as a ma
tion which likes to fight but bravcly and
prayerfully resolved that it will fight to
the end in cause for democracy
This war is costing the world something
more than 1000. 900 day and something
more than 10000 lives every day. And
the sacrifice and slaughter has gone on day
after day with solemn certainty and with
an increasing uncertainty as TO the end of
it ALL
"If I am permitted I will describe in a
sentence what I believe to be the cause
aFi 111s tg ~4.tv,
nations have set gain above God, have set
national ACKNOWLEDGMENT and aggression
above national Righteousness and fair deal
ing. As a consequence of that we witnessed
an increasing savagery of war: so that it
is no longer a question of even the most
modern science in the art of warfare. with
an aim and purpose to ameliorate its
severity and protect the innocent, but a
complete surrender to the bestial.
SLAUGHTER OF INNoCENTS
"As they have it now IT is no longer a
contest of bodies of men against bodies Of
men, 1t Is no longer an open conflict upon
fair plane, where genius and strategy
and courage work out a national problem,
But il is in part at least, the assassination
by sea and casual slaughter by air and the
killing of women and Children--Chidren
as they enter the candy shops to make
their petty purchases are slain by unseen
missiles that come from unseen enemies. II
is the casual pitiless slaughter of the un-
offending and the defenselcss.
I'VE do not desire to add square inch
to the territory of the United States, nor to
take from any man, woman or child living
in the world a single thing which belongs
to them; not even for the glory of sue
cessful arms; but in order to re-establish
those principles of national justice without
which national continuance and life can
not prevail, and to give to the stricken
peoples of the world who have been fight
ing for the right, rest and respite, 70 re-
habilitate their almost destroyed civliza'
ton.