New Britain herald., 1917-04-23

! who may not realize the issues at | stake for them. These would like l to help.
 l Wise Words of Caution.
 And my word of caution to these
 is this: Beware of trifling with the l situation. Foreigners do not appre- I ciate the American character on it's l serious side. They sec us at play, or in the eager pursuit of wealth. good natured. affable, free-hearted
 and free-handed. They see us slow
 to resent affront. slow to defend our selves. They have seen our great president for many long months re- fuse to believe that Germany could mean what her acts committed over and over again plainly indicated that
 she did mean. They saw Germany
 assuming that he would not fight,
 that he was coward. Many of our
 neighbors of German percentage be-
 lieved that Germany had it sized up
 correctly. This creates a situation of
 great danger to Germans. And to
 these I am sounding this warning:
 Beware of the slow. cautious, patient
 man with the square jaw. who has spoken from the White House calling to war. And a second and similar
 warming: Beware of the good-natured
 American nation, that through its representatives answered that call and declared war on Germany The slow man with the square jaw has fighting blood in his veins. Back there somewhere he may have had
 
 less high than those he now proclaims -''liberty and humanity" He has found himself and spoken. He Is not the man you knew even one month ago, or thought you knew. And the nation that has stepped solidly to his side is not the nation that you thought you knew a/month ago. Make no mistake at that point.
 Not Afraid Even If Proud.
 The man who intimated that we might be too proud to fight; and who later tried to believe that this world iE flames might find peace without victory; who neglected preparedness il. the vain hope that it would not be needed, and later decided that it was needed. that man has found himself at last. and the practical statesman has emerged from the fogs of his inn practical idealism and spoken. And the nation that hoped with him till 1t could hope no longer. then waited with unexampled patience for him to see. has spoken with him. And war Is on!
 Let none of our good neighbors fail to appreciate what now they are up against. To fail there will be fa- tol for you., The patient man in the White House. with clarity of vision that has surpassed that of any of the statesmen of the belligerents of Eu- sOpe, and with a power of statement | hat places the issues at stake in this ! great war in such form that his ut erance will stand through the years | IS freedoms call to arms against l yranny. has spoken out; the nation l ,as echoed his call; and the world is waiting the issue. America Is reused IS s1ne has not been before in her his- ory. She sees her enemy as he is. the has borne his insults till patience las ceased to be a virtue. Irrespon- ible selfishness, backed by a fighting machine that she believed was in- incible, dreaming of erld-conquest, ram bling under her iron heel every fight of the weak. planning to con- Iuer Europe and then the world lat is the enemy. Human liberty md the rights of the weak, in dan Ter of being swept from the earth-t hat is the issue. And a transformed l president and a transformed nation l ,aye declared their intention to spend ! Ill her resources in sweeping from he earth this enemy of human free lom. Not the German nation, but that Germany may be rec, and that right may prevail over colossal wrong. America is at war! Ind she is not the AMerica that you tne-v before I beg of you not to miss what I am saying. You do not lnow our president and you do not inow us. Play with a bear watch nz over her cubs; trifie with a hon- .ss playing with her whelps; but do lot presume upon nor trife with America aroused. The vicious will ind this out: but my solicitude 1s for hose net vicious. who mean right, ut who will delay decision.
 Get Into Line Quickly.
 My last friendly word is one of Ldyice and exhortation: Get into line Iuickly; and when in cultivate ' yhole-hearted love for your country.
 And why not? This is the very test country under tie sun. for any nan. especially for the poor man yith ideals of human freedom. That limits of no contradiction. Tour the world, as have, and come back here md you will know the meaning of he term Gods country!'
 What have you against this coun- ry. anyway, that you continue to .riticise and find fault? What is ,our crouch? Hasn't this country ,sed you well? Haven't you bettered