The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-05-31
Religious and Military Services in Memory of Heroes

other executive officers are appointed
by the Kaiser without the sanction of
any representative body whatever.
| The people are supposed to have
their representation in the govern
ment by membership in the Reichstag
and Bundesrat.
| The Reichstag with 397 members
elected by the people have no control
whatever over the emperor or his
chancellor. Taxing power once grant
ed can never be abrogated. Their ap-
prOval or disapproval of the actions of
the kaiser and his army Of little con-
sequence and of no binding force. The
Bundesrat of 61 members are appoint
| ed by the rulers Of the 25 constituent
| provinces of Germany and likewise
have no responsibility to the people.
Prussia which makes up two thirds
of Germany dominates the empire The
Landtag of Prussia is selected from
three classes of voters by the caucus
system and without a secret ballot
| Class distinction is based on tax pay
/ ms tlOllIIy Will uidIllcSI
| ties. The king has the power of abso-
lutte veto.
Of such subterfuges is German de-
! mocracy made. Won Moltke once said
that the real ballot was the cartridge
which the German soldier carried in
his cartridge box, that the real repre-
sentative of the nation was the army
Is there any man among us who can
defend such system? Those who cry
peace, peace, when there can be no
peace, let them remember this-Ameri-
can democracy is Oh trial and we must
| fight the war mad Prussian until con-
science shall control his conduct and
the rights of humanity have his ever
| lasting respect
The Puritan fathers left their native
land, suffered the trials of the new
world for the right to worship God
according to the debates of their own
: 1consciences. The Hugenots and op-
pressed of nations fed to q new world
to be free from persecution Our fore
fathers declared their independence
from Great Britain and established
their rights in a sea of blood that flow
ed from Bunker Hill to Yorktown to
make men free. Our gallant boys In
blue laid down their lives from Sump-
ter to AppOmatOx to make men free.
The flower and youth of our land now
offer up their lives on the fields of
Flanders and France to make men
free
And today let us dedicate ourselves
anew to noble purpose, let us show
to all the world that the whole Ame1i-
can people have not lost the spirit of
their fathers. On this occasion as we
gather around the graves of the ma
tlOns' dead, let each flower we streW
DER the grassy mounds represent re-
neWed within us pure and unselfish
purpose OF devotion OF our country.
Some weeks ago it was my privilege
to visit Independence Hall, Philadel-
phia, "the cradle Of our liberties" In
side the outer door stands the bell that
proclaimed liberty throughout the col
onies and to the inhabitants thereof.
After entering the main room and
walking to the opposite end the visi-
tor in reverent attitude, hat in hand,
| reads on the bronze tablet: 'In this
| room was signed the Declaration of
independence, in this room was form
ed the Constitution of the United
States"
On the old mahogany table stands
| a plain glass jar containing a wooden
spoon. This is the jar in which were
placed the serial numbers of the new
national army. From it were drawn
the numbers in capsules which deter
mined the order of service.
Above this table hangs a facsimile
OF the Declaration. After reading the
names signed to that document this
thought impresses itself uopn Won.
IheSe men nearly all of whose ances
tors came from England, the mother
country, were wise enough and brave
enough to declare their independence
and establish it; why should any Am
erlcan citizen today, from whatever
country his ancestors came, hesitate
to stand by his governments purpose
to maintain the very principles on
which this republic was founded?
Immediately above the bold sigma
lures on that immortal document is
this sentence, 'And for the support Of
this declaration, with a firm reliance
| on the protection of Divine Providence
we mutually pledge to each other our
| lives, our fortunes and our sacred
honor
Today let us pledge ourselves anew
TO the service OF our country and with
a united purpose of the people of Wis
| consin and the nation victory will
| come.