The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1917-12-08

Intrigue Led Russia Astray."
| You catch, with me, the voices o
humanity that are in the air. Thel
| grow more audible, mere articulate
more persuasive. and they come from
the hearts OF men everywhere. The,
insist that the war shall not end In
vindictive action Of any kind; thai
no nation or people shall be robbed
or punished because the irresponsible
rulers OF a single country have them
selves done deep and abominable
wrong. 1t Is this thought that has
been expressed in the formula, mo
annsxations. no contributions, no
punitive indemnities." Just because
this crude formula expresses the in.
stiRctive judgment as to right of plain
men everywhere, 1t has been made
diligent use of by the masters of Ger.
man intrigue to lead the people of
Russia astray-ahd the people of ey.
cry other country their agents could
reach, in order that a premature peace
might be brought about before au-
tocracy has been taught its final and
convincing lesson and the people OF
the world put in control of their own
destinies.
But the fact that a wrong use has
been made OF just idea is no reason
why right use should not be made
OF II.
1t ought to be brought under the
patronage of its real friends. Let il
re said again that autocracy must
hrst be shown the utter futility of
It's claims to power or leadership In
the modern world. 1t is impossible
to apply any standard of Justice so
long as such forces are unchecked
and indicated as the present mas
tiers of Germany command. Not un-
I'll that has been done can Right re
set up as arb,ter and peacemaker
among the nations. But when that
mas been done--as God willing II as
surediy will be--we shall at last be
free to do an unprecedented thing
and this Is the time to avow our pur.
pose 70 do it. We shall be free to
base peace on generosity and justice.
to the exclusion OF all selfish claims
TO advantage even on the part OF the !
victoIs.
Let there be no MISUNDERSTANDING. |
Our present and immediate part is |
to win the war and nothing shall turn |
Us aside from it until it is accom-. |
plished. Every power and resource |
We possess, whether of men. OF |
money. or of materials. is being de-
voted and will continue to be de- |
voted to that purpose until it is
achieved. Those who desire to bring
peace about before that purpose Is
achieved | counsel to carry their ad-
'ice elsewhere. We will not enter.
ain 1t. We shall regard the war as
Won only when the German people
'ay to US. through properly accredit-
q representatives, that they are
eady to agree to a settlement based 4
lpon justice and the PREPARATION of
he wrongs their rulers have done.
hey have done a wrong to Belgium
'hich must be repaired. They have
established power over other lands
nd peoples than their own-over tie
reat empire of Austria Hungary. over
alberto tree Balkan states, over Tur-
ey and within Asia-which must be
Icnuuisue.
Germanys succens =, skill, by in.
ustry, by knowledge, by enterprise
'e did not grudge or oppose. bur
dmired rather. She had built up
Or herself real empire of trade and
lnuence, secured by the peace of the
Grid. We were content to abide the
valries Of manufacture, science and
'mmerce that were involved for us
her success and stand or fall as (
e had or did not have the brains
Id the initiative to surpass her. But
the moment when she had con-
'icuously won her triumph of peace
le threw them away to establish in
cir stead what the world will no
niger permit to be established, mil
ary and political domination by
ms, by which to GUST where she
uld not excel the rivals she most
AIRED and hated. The peace We
axe must remedy that wrong. It
lst deliver the once fair lands and
ppy peoples of Belgium and north |
n France from the Prussian con-
est and the Prussian menace. but
must also deliver the peoples OF
lstria-Hungary. the peoples of the
'lkans and the peoples of Turkey.
ke in Europe and in Asia, from the
pudent and alien domination of the
ussian military and commercial au-
;racy.
so Wish to Impair Austria.
We owe it. however, to ourselves
say that We do not wish in any
y to impair or to rearrange the
stria-Hungarian empire. 1t is no
air OF ours what they do with their
n life either indus+riau,, - la. ~