The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15


But the right is more precious
than peace, and we shall fight for the
things which we have always carried
nearest our hearts-for democracy
for the right of those who submit to
authority TO have a voice in their own
governments, for the rights and lib
critics of small nations, for a univer-
sal domination of right by such a
concert of free people as shall bring
peace and safety to all nations and
make the world itself at last free"
Thus were voiced the reasons why
this great and peaceful nation should
dedicate our lives and our fortunes,
everything that we are and every
/ thing that we have with the pride OF
those who know that the day has
come when America is privileged to
spend her blood and her might for the
principles that gave her birth and
/ happiness and the peace which she
/ has treasured"
/ From time TO time will come rum
I ors of peace. From time to time the
I kaiser, or other great forces of an
autocratic spirit facing the death line
OF its activity will cry for terms of
peace and will startle the world with
/ initiative actions, presenting to the
world certain terms and conditions.
which if adopted would still preserve
the spirit out of which this great war
has risen.
America is a peace loving nation,
and for many years her people have
voiced their sentiments in favor of
peace. This spirit of the American
people is not now entirely over
whelmed by our present plunge into
the greatest war of history. We have
not felt the bite and sting of war
sufficient to nurture preiudices and
embitter US against the principles and
the government which has caused our
sorrow and own sufferings. That is.
our boys have not been shot and cap
tured, we have only experienced a few
primary burdens of war, we have not
witnessed the horrors of the front
and therefore we cannot appreciate
the intensity of feeling. the desire to
. conquer the oppressor that is expert
enced by those nations and peoples
who for the past several years have
been enduring the hardships and pri-
vations and sorrows of war.
So it happens. that even now. the
American people are in danger of
thinking more of peace than of JUS
uce, more of prosperity than of right,
more of home than of the world. This
is not the spirit of the American peo-
pie nor of their government, nor is it
their desire to forget at any time the
great purposes for which we have
entered into this war, nor is it our
ambition to put peace before right
But the leadership of America in pro-
noting world peace, and the intensity
of this ambition for the past many
years, has produced a habit, an in
clination, and a natural hope, COM
polling us to often seek unconscious
ly for the least sign of peace.
But let us not put hope before eau
ton Remember, we must make the
world safe for democracy" AS sweet
and desirable as peace may be. we
cannot, for the sake of it. sacrifice
our freedom nor the rights of man
kind.
We admire the wisdom of our presi-
dent and those men of high office in
our country, who are never fooled by
the peace terms and hopes of the
kaiser. To every beckon for peace
by the kaiser. our president, repre-
senting the ideals and justice of his
people, has answered "yes, but we
must be assured of justice, of restor-
alton, of the downfall of autocracy,
and the victory of right over wrong"
And in this answer has been voiced
the sentiments of every true Ameri-
can
Peace will not be peace so long as
the spirit of war, and the conditions
out of which it has risen remain. Au-
tocratic aggression has nourished it,
The autocratic spirit has given it life,
and not until this aggression is check
ed, and not until this spirit is broken,
broken entirely, can we have peace
Let us not therefore either clamor
for peace nor look for it, until we
have conquered wrong and consum-
mated our purposes. There was once
sort of slogan among our people
that said, "The Kaiser Must Co." That
is to say, the spirit of autocracy. of
oppression, of aggression, must be
broken, and swept out of the remem-
brances and ambitions of every ma
ton and government. Let that be our
slogan now. Let us make the sac
rifice of war. endure its hardships.
and its privations if need be. rather
than have Germany win. Peace with
out the crushing of her spirit, would
be merely victory for Germany, and
America must win this fight, for the
sake of civilization, progress and per-
manent peace of mankind.
Let us not take too much stock in
reports of internal confusion and
eruption in Germany. She is a crafty
nation, and the source of these re-
ports are not always the most re-
liable. We surely hope that the Ger
man people will soon rise in rebel
lion against the needless slaughter of
their sons and husbands, and the
ruthless shaming of their wives and
daughters, for this will mean that
true victory is near. But until we
are absolutely assured that Germany
and her spirit and policy has been
nxercnme. defeated and ahnlishod La.