Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-08


speech here Saturday night OF Ger
many's challenge that the issue be-
tween the central powers and her
enemies be settled by force brought
$4,000 persons cheering to their
feet.
The speech was made in the hall
IN which he was nominated for his
first term as president.
In the stand with him were Mrs.
Wilson, Cardinal Gibbons, Major
General Joseph Z. Kuhn. command
ing the Seventy-ninth division at
Camp Meade, and others.
The presidents answer was:
Force. force to the utmost, force
without stint or limit, the right
eous and triumphant force which
shall make right the law of the
world and cast every selfish domin-
ion down in the dust"
The president, opening the third
Liberty loan campaign, carried his
audience with him in his address
at conclusion of which subscrip-
tons were opened for Liberty
bonds. The Savings bank OF Bal
timore, Immediately took $1,000 600
worth. Other large amounts were
subscribed.
( President Wilson was given a
great demonstration on his arrival
, at the hall. in which were about
/ fifteen thousand persons.
Thousands were al the doors I'M
able to gain entrance, long lines
/ formed in front of the armory as
/ early as 6 o'clock.
Former Governor Phillips L,
GoIdsborOugh, introducing the pres
/ ident, declared that out of the war
/ would come new world, dedicated
I to liberty Mr. Goldsborough, a
I Republican, said that all parties in
{ the country must rally behind the
( executive.
This is no time said Mr.. Colds
borough, TO criticise the govern
ment This is the time for every
( body to get behind our flag"
/ The house for several minutes
when the president arose to speak
and it was some minutes before he
could make hifself heard.
/ The presidents declaration that
nothing is proposed for Germany
! Ut Jus 4OC " c1S " al LII GPpId
: as was his statement that Ger
] many's course in Russia is cheap
/ triumph.
When the president declared that
he accepted Germany's challenge
1 and that force must decide the issue
/ the audience rose and cheered sew
eral minutes.
In full the presidents speech was
as follows:
Fellow citizens: This is the an
liiversary of our acceptance of Ger.
many's challenge to fight for oul
right to live and be free, and for the
sacred rights of free men every
where. The nation is awake. There
is no need to call TO it. We know
what the war must cost, or utmos
/ sacrifice, the lives of our fittes
men, and, if need be, all that W.
I possess. The loan we are met Il
discuss is one of the least parts o
what we are called upon to give ant
to do, though in itself imperative
The people of the whole country ar,
alive TO the necessity OF it, and ar
ready to lend TO the utmost, ever
where it involves sharp skimpiny
and daily sacrifice TO lend out o
meager earnings. They will Iool
with Reproduction and cOntemp
upon those who can and will not
upon those who demand a highe
rate of interest, upon those VIII,
think of it as a mere Commercial
transaction. l have not come
therefore, to urge the loan. I hav
come only 10 give you. if I can,
more vivid conception Of what it i
for.
Cause of Justice.
The reason for this great war
? the reason why it had to come. tn
T need to fight it through and the is
, sues that hang upon its outcome
are more clearly disclosed now thai
? ever. 1t is easy to see Just what thi
. particular loan means because tn
) cause we are fighting for stand
p more sharply revealed than at an,
: previous crisis Of the momentum
struggle The man who know
. least can not see plainly how tn
cause Of justice stands and wha
the imperishable thing is he ]!
asked to invest in.
-FAt1 III E1ll1t4 I'D may US MOT
sure than they ever were that tn
cause is their own, and that. if i
should be lost, their own great ma
tons place and mission in tn
world would be lost with it.
Germany Not Judged Intemperatel,
II call you to witness, my fellow
Countrymen, that at no stage o
this terrible business have l judget
the purposes of Germany intemper
ately. / should be ashamed in tn
/ presence Of affairs so grave, s,
fraught with the destinies Of man
kind throughout all the world, II
speak with truculence, to use tn,
weak language Of hatred or yindic
tive purpose. We must Judge a
we would be judged. I have sough
to learn the objects Germany ha
in this war from the mouths of he
own spokesman, and to deal a
frankly with them as ] wished
I them to deal with me. have lait
| bare our own ideals, our own pur
poses, without reserve or doubtful
phrase, and have asked them to sa,
as plainly what it IS that they seek
We have ourselves proposed N
injustice, no aggression. We ar
ready, whenever the final reckoninj
Is made, to be Just to the German
people, deal fairly with the Ger
/ man power, as with all others
There can be no difference between
peoples in the final Judgment. If /
is indeed TO be a righteous judg
ment. To propose anything bu
Justice, even-handed and dispas
ctguota {4YcyfCa 10