Connecticut western news. [volume] (Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn.) 1871-1970, 1918-04-25
PRIZE ESSAY
CONTINUED from First Page.)

IrOm f1TSL FAG0.J
right of the smallest nation equally
with the greatest to live its own life
and to have that life determined by
the will of the people; for the freedom
of the seas 80 that all nations may
have unmolested pursuit Of legitimate
commerce. We are again at war for
human freedom and universed demo-
cracy because our liberties have been
challenged and our rights as people
have been violated
For hundred and thirty-fi years
of organized life, and indeed thru all
the years since the settlement of
Jamestown America has been the
beneficiary of the human race. Until
recently substantially beyond the en-
part of other sovereignties and there.
fore but slightly affected by their life,
she has welcomed to her shores the
restless, wronged, adventurous, bold
and brave of all lands. And our coun-
try has not been unworthy of the OPP
portunity. She has done well. One
great thing she has-the greatest
democratic thing that men have ever
done. She has shown how so-called
sovereign states can be merged into q
larger state without losing their indi-
viduality and without parting with
democratic ideals. She is now called
upon to do more than thai otherwise
she will have proved an unworthy
beneficiary. Let us show ourselves to
be the worthy descendants of the men
who signed the Declaration of indie
pendence in 1776 and worthy success
sors of the great democrats who
fashioned the charter of our liberties
in 1887.
We are fighting Germany because in
this war feudalism is making its last
stand against on. coming democracy.
Let Germany If she will but she must
not spread her system over a world
that has outgrown it. Feudalism plus
science--this is the religion that has
made mistaken Germany say 1.-THE
State has no conscience. The State can
do no wrong" Let this old spirit have
it's way and no man will live in
America paying toll to it in manhood
and in money. This spirit might de-
mand Canada from q defeated, navy
less England, and then our dream of
peace on the north would be at an end.
We would live as France has lived for
forty years, in haunting terror.
The Kaiser has struck a mortal blow
at the security OF society, il by victory,
he sustains the doctrine that no treaty
obligations are sacred when they inter-
fere with what q nation conceives to
be national necessity. When he VIC
lated the neutrality Of Belgium and
tore up the Belgium treaty as "a scrap
of paper, he announced doctrine
which II sustained, makes impossible
the security of the civilized world, be-
cause the maintenance of friendly
relations and intercourse between
modern nations is based absolutely
upon the inviolsbility of treaty obli-
cations.
Imagine Germany victor in Europe
because the United States remained
neutral. Would not this country with
It's enormous wealth be the next VIC
tim2 Is it not wise to unite with the
brave enemies Of that empire in ending
now and for all time this menace to
our future than to later resist single
handed o German Empire flushed with
victory? We are resisting invasion as
truly an IL our call to arms had been 20
check hostile army marching north.
ward thru Mexico. While the German
Kaiser 40 In France or Belgium, he In