The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-03-11
DAVIES OPENS CAMPAIGN
IN HIS OLD HOME TOWN

which imperil the future of humanity +?
Is it any wonder that all the nations
of the civilized world which are free
from the threat of immediate destruc-
ton are in arms against the autocracy
of Germany?
This war came to us in spite of all
the patience that an honorable and
self respecting nation could sustain.
1t came to us because we had to pro-
tect our national honor-yes-bu it
also came to us because we had to
preserve our right in the world to
travel the seas without let or hind
rance and without fear that we might
take our crops, our metals and our
manufactured products wherever the
seas might find for us markets. 1t
came to us by reason of conviction
that these rights could not be sus-
tanned unless we fought the fight on
European soil, for unless the fight
were won there, the fight would be on
the Atlantic seaboard of our country.
That this conviction was not born of
idle fancy is shown by the statement
of the Kaiser to Ambassador Gerard
in 1915: America had better look out
after this war. | shall stand no non
sense from America after the war"
1t is our war now-it is a war, not
only to protect our material possess
siOns-tO protect our rights on the
o fn
and our conceptions OF the rights of
man-but it is a war to sustain the
very fundamental base of civilization
to sustain the rule of law in the
world. 1t is war to sustain Christian
civilization, for the essence Of Chris
tianity is that altruism and law as
enunciated by the Son of God should
be the ruling power of the world in
stead of brute strength and mere
power of might.
Such philosophy and rulers guided
by it would destroy the Christian
civilization of the world For if such
philosophy wins, then the world will
be ruled by these supermen, and all
the rest will be slaves This fight
means either Calvary, the gospel of
the carpenter of Galilee, or Corsica,
the rule of the mailed fist of might
and power.
HOnOrs Carl Schurz.
This city of my birth was at one
time the home of one of our greatest
Americans, a great Liberal and a
great Democrat, Carl Schurz | have
been interested in reading his men,
oirs. There are passages from his
book which describe the Prussian
military rulers of his youth in such a
way that one might believe he were
today reading descriptions of the war
mad rulers of the imperial govern
ment Of Germany. His description of
the persecution which the friends of
at the hands of mOnarchists and auto
Gratis is intensely interesting, for it
pictures the beginning OF this system
which now endangers the world His
description of his escape by hiding in
a sewer, his description of his rescue
of his Liberal friend, the college pro-
fessor, from the fortress of a military
power, gave one a graphic apprecia-
ton of why German Liberals came to
this free country Any man can not
read the memoirs of Carl Schurz but
that his whole spirit would rise today
against the horrible power which a
utilitarian and monarchial system is
seeking to impose upon the world
And you my friends and fellow citi-
zens of German birth and descent who
| know in this community, would
share with him the hatred of that
system of government which so many
Of you came to this country to avoid
| feel, | know that in the hearts OF
every man here tonight there burns
a conviction that this pernicious sys-
tenn of thought of the ruling classes OF
Germany must be destroyed for the
future of the world and the safety of
democracy
What then is the situation? To win
this war is the first big job that con-
fronts us. 1t is the one great task that
the country has before it. Let us not
deceive ourselves. 1t is big task 1t
will require all of our united and best
effort. To do it will require that we
put aside all little things and get to-
gether for the one big task To do the
job right there must be no division of
counsel or party. This undertaking is
vital to our country and the welfare
of future generations Our country is
in hazard. 1t is tremendous problem
which confronts u.s. We must organize
and equip our man power. We must
build and furnish ships in greater
volume. We must equip the second
line of our defense. Our industrial
conditions must be made fair. Our
consumers must be protected. Labor
must be given it's full share in pro-
fits of production. It's standard Of liv-
ing must be kept high, commensurate
with what American labor should be.
These things require the united and
best effort and genius of our country.
To do these things demands that the
nation must be as a unit with your