The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-03-22

and Indifference in backing them up is
like sticking a dirk in their back"
Mr.. KiekhOefer's Adress.
Judge w, H. Woodland introduced
w. H. Kiel1hoefer, the last speaker on
the program.
The spirit already manifested here
will very naturally help in backing up
our boys at the front" said the
speaker. For the first time in history
the American flag is floating over a
European battlefield. No lust of gain
or power carried it there In 1776 our
forefathers fought for independence.
We are now fighting a second war of
independence" said the speaker.
Great as is our state in this war
| cannot tonight stand on this plat
form and in all honesty state that the
war is nearly won, and that there is
not possibility of a German victory.
The fact of victory hangs in the
balance.
Germany is not yet beaten and we
as a nation are not yet victorious
Unless we make all sacrifices possible
proud America is doomed to disastrous
defeat
However great the sacrifice that
has already been made, and stagger-
ing the price that we shall yet have to
pay, it will cost us incomparably less
to win this war than to lose It, There
is no nation today, not even England,
which Germany hates as she hates
the United States of Amreica. The
kaisers naughty threats, repeatedly
made to Mr.. Gerard, America had
better look out after this war; and 1
shall stand no nonsense from Ameri-
ca after the war must never be given
the slightest chance Of translation in
to action.
Consider the price of our defeat.
Our dead would have died, and our
wounded have suffered in vain; bill
lions of treasure would have been
spent to no purpose; international
law, upon the recognition Of which
the safety of every nation in the world
depends, would have been Overthrown;
might would have triumphed over
right, and terrorism would rule the
world. There are at least four conse-
quences of paramount Importance to
every man, woman and child in Am
erica that would follow a German vic
tory.
First, a Germany victory would
mean the perpetuation and extension
of Pan-Germany, the gravest possible
menace to the independence of the
United States. Pan-Germany already
exists. AustriaHungary, Bulgaria. and
Turkey are today vassals, not allies,
Of Germany, and she intends that they
shall so remain. In 1914 the German
military machine controlled $4,000, 900
people; today about 10000, 900 people
are under the domination of that ma
chine. Can we afford to let an I'M
scrupulOus military class keep con-
troll Of population that could furnish
an army of 2O,OOO,0OO? Kaiser Wilhelm
might send them forth as in 1914 he
sent forth his army of the East:
Remember that you are the chosen
peoplei The Spirit of the Lord has de-
scended upon me because | am the
Emperor of the Germans! | am the
instrument of the Almighty. | am his
sword, his agent. Woe and death to
all those who shall oppose my will
Woe and death to those who do not
believe in my mission! Woe and death
to the towards! Let them perish, all
the enemies Of the German people!
God demands their destruction, God,
who by my mouth, bids you to do His
will
If Germany wins, there is not the
slightest shadow of a doubt that she
will seize the fleets of her enemies.
Then Pan-Germany need no longer
confine herself to Europe and the
Near East. Instead the German octo
pus can extend its tentacles and seize
the trade routes, lands, and riches of
the world
Sooner or later we should clash
with her over the Monroe doctrine.
Germany has never officially assent
ed to this policy, and more than once
has sought to impair it. The estab
lishment of German colonies in South
America, the desired acquisition of an
island in the West Indies, or coveted
control over the Panama Canal, might
at any time in the future provoke an
other conflict unless Pan-Germany is
now decisively defeated. Sooner or
later we should clash over the rights
of trade and industry. We might even
expect an invasion of our own terri
tory, for while we were still a neu-
trail country Germany invited Mexico
to make common cause with her, to
invade us, and to seize New Mexico,
Texas, and Arizona.
Second, a German victory would
mean the continuance of militarlsm
and the certainty of another war. Ii
the militarists of Germany win this
war, they can justify themselves to
their people by pointing with pride
to all that armed force has brought to
Germany.
But if Germany remains militarlstlc
all the rest of the world must arm In