The Pascagoula chronicle. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1905-1920, 1918-09-07


Union League Club OF Chicago.
We are in this war with Germany
because 1t Is a war for freedom more
truly than ever before was wal
fought for the liberty Of man. In times
past, 1t Is true, men have fought fol
freedom from oppressors. Sometimes
they have won and sometimes they
have lost. But always there has been
a place In this big world where those
who had lost in the struggle at home
might go and find n country where
they might enjoy the liberty they
loved.
Now all is different. IF the forces
which are fighting for freedom In this
war are defeated, there will be no
place in the whole world to which they
may go to find a refuge from Prus.
sian domination Every land under
the sun will be directly or indirectly
under control Of the victor; and II
the victor is autocracy, freedom per.
ishes.
The land where freedom Is most i'm.
minently menaced by the leglons OF
Prussian autocracy, at this moment,
is the land where unwonted freedom
temporarily has run riot and has lost
the power to fight for itself-Russia.
We are fighting for the freedom of
Russia, and must continue to fight for
it until Russia learns what freedom
means, and is again able to fight. II
do lin In, Drcc Ia
Prusslan autocracy will rule and ex.
plot the country for its own benefit;
and the very forces which overthrow
the car will be turned against the
freedom not only Of themselves, but Of
other lands.
In years gone by, when the forces
Of revolution were showing themselves
here and there in Russia, they had the
sympathy Of America in spite Of the
methods Of terrorism Of which we
did not approve. When the car and
the kaiser, leaders of autocracy, were
locked in death grapple, Russia still
had our sympathy, because she was
fighting on the side Of those who were
seeking to safeguard the world from
Prussian miiitarism.
When the car was deposed over
night American feelings were mixed.
There was joy at the downfall Of an
old, and sometimes cruel autocracy,
but there was fear that Russia would
become too disorganized to fight fur
Their, coupled with the thought that per- |
haps the revolution had come too soon |
to be effective.
Then followed the brief regime Of |
Kerensky, when it began to look az |
though freedom in Russia might be an |
organized freedom, prepared to fight |
for its rights, and all America hailed /
the Russian revolution as blessing. |
1t had become absolutely correct to !
say that the war was war of democ-
racy against autocracy. No pro-Ger-
man could longer point to the car,
whenever an argument arose.
Finally came the bolsheviki revolt
ton. in which Kerenslly was over
giafF~ ,eRussian industry and Rus.
90 diso"eanized, Pnd |
Russian armies ceased TO fight, The
kaiser's armies pressed on unopposed,
took what they desired in spite of a
signed peace, and Russia appeared to
De about to pass completely under con- |
.rol of Germany. America stood
ighast at the prank freedom had
played, and American opinion turned
argely against Russia, but thinking
men refused to give up hope. Rus
;ia was and still is incapable Of Offer
ng resistance, but Russia is not re-
signed to autocracy. 1t devolyes upon
others to fight for the freedom Rus
tia must have.
The experience of other nations has
,een that men who loved freedom
we're willing TO fight for it, and to die
or 1t If necessary. The Russian at.
itude of nonresistance was something |
lew in the world, and is hard to un.
erstand. The bolsheviki represent.
d the extreme idea of liberty. To
hem freedom meant not the right Of
he majority to choose their form of
Overnment but the right of the indi-
idual to be free from all forms Of
Governmental restraint. They would
ear down the old order completely,
one stroke, and set up the mil
enium. They would divide the land,
ne factories and the tools among the
'orkers, and have no masters hence
)rth.
Even in Russia, however, there were
ssenters. Some took up arms; and
lie bolsheviki, who fought the Ger
ans not at all, fought their brothers
ost ferociOusly. The result was an.
'chy, lawlessness, massacre, the dis
'ganiZation Of the railways and the
ilure of the food supply. The mil.
mum refused to come at the mere
.cree of the bolsheviki. 1t was shown
at there must be organization and
of some sort.
Russia will not longer fight side by
lie with her former allies. So in
luous has been the German propa-
nda that, in many instances Russian
tired 81 tbs allies seems 70 be deep
than hatred Of Germany.
'rhe-cf 5fe iir -uiteG states sGSa Il
lder direct aid to The struggling peo.
s Of Russia. Shh cannot send them
mics and supplies, for tIfey have re-
sed to do battle for themselves. To
hit for Russia she must fight on the
stern front. She must do her share
yard humbling the kaiser, and fore
: him to relinquish his grasp on the
st.
That is why we cannot talk peace
II Germany as long as the kaiser
! one single Russian province un.
'.his heel.
-W.S.S
ITICE OF DISSOLUTION OF
PARTNERSHIP.