The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-04-19

clared would be our own in the flnnl
settlement.
"At Brest-Ltovsk her civilian dele
gates spoke in similar terms; pro-
fessed their desire TO conclude fair
peace and accord to the peoples with
whose fortunes they were dealing the
right to choose their own alleglnnces.
"They are enjoying in Russia
cheap triumph In which no brave or
gallant nation can take pride. A
great people, helpless by their own
act, lies for the time at their mercy.
"Thelr fair professions are forgot
ten. They nowhere set up justice, but
everywhere impose their power and ex-
plot everything for their own use and
aggrandizement; and the peoples Of
conquered provinces are invited to be
free under their dominion.
"Are we not justified in believing
that they would do the same thing at
their western front If they were not
there face to face with armies whom
even their countless divisions cannot
overcome.
"If, when they have felt their check
to be final, they should propose IA
vorable and equitable terms with re-
gard to Belgium and France and Italy,
could they blame MS II we concluded
that they did so only to assure them
selves of free hand in Russia and
the east?
World Dominion Built in East.
"Their purpose is undoubtedly to
make all the Slavic peoples, all the
free and ambitious peoples Of the Bal
tic peninsula, all the lands that Tur-
key has dominated and misruled, sub
iect to their will and ambition, and
build upon that dominion an empire
Of force upon which they fancy that
they can then erect an empire Of gain
and commercial supremacy-an en-
plre as hostile to the Americas as to
the Europe which it will overawe-an
empire which will ultimately master
Persia, India, and the peoples OF the
far East.
"In such a program our Ideals, the
ideals OF justice and humanity and lib
erty, the principle Of the free self
determination Of nations upon which
all the modern world insists, can play
no part.
"They are rejected for the ideals OF
power, for the principle that the
strong must rule the weak, that trade |
must follow the nag, whether those
to whom it is taken welcome 1t or not.
that the peoples of the world are to
be made subject to the patronage and
over-lordship Of those who have the
power to enforce 1t.
WouId Mean World Conflict.
This program once carried out
America and all who care or dare to |
stand with her must arm and prepare |
themselves to contest the mastery OF
the world, mastery in which the |
women and Of all who are weak, must |
for the time being be trodden under
foot, and diSregarded, and the old, age
long struggle for freedom and right /
begin again at it's beginning.
Everything America has lived for
and grown great to vindlcate and
bring to a glorious realization will
have fGllen in utter ruin and the gates
of mercy once more pitilessly shut up.
on mankind.
"ThS thing is preposterous and i'm
possible; and yet, is not that what the
whole course and action of the Ger.
man armies have meant wherever they
have moved? 1 do not wish, even in
this movement Of utter disillusionment,
to Judge harshly or unrighteously. ]
Judge only by what the German arms
have accomplished with IMPLYING
thoroughness throughout every fair re'
glon they have touched.
"What, then, are we to do? For my
self, ain ready, ready still, ready even
now, to discuss a fair, just and honest
peace al any time that it is sincerely
peace in which the strong
and the weak shall fare alike. But
the answer, when l proposed such q
peace, came from the German comman.
uGTS III nuSSlu anu NulllOL luloloho
the meaning Of the answer.
"Force to Utmost" Only Answer.
II accept the challenge.
81 know that you accept it. All the
world shall know that you accept it
It shall appear in the utter sacrifice
and self-forgetfulness with which we
shall give all that we love and all that
we have to redeem the world and make
It fit for free men like ourselves ia
live in.
"This now Is the meaning of all that
we do. Let everything that we say,
my fellow countrymen, everything that
we henceforth plan and accomplish,
ring true to this response till the majes'
ty and might of our concerted power
shall fill the thought and utterly defeat
the force Of those who flout and mis-
prize what we honor and hold dear.
Germany has once more said that
force alone, shall decide whether jus.
Eice and peace shall reign in the af-
fairs of men, whether right as Amer
ca conceives 1t or dominion as she
conceives it shall determine the des.
dnieS of mankind.
"There is, therefore, but one re-
sponse possible from us: Force, force
10 the utmost, force without stint or
limit, the righteous and triumphant
force which shall make right the law
of the world and cast every selfish
dominion down in the dust"
The New Vocabulary.