The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1918-02-08
Direct Appeal by
President TO
the Farmers

! 61& u G84 40S4 a1
COUNTRY NEEDS THEIR AsSIS-
TANCE THIS YEAR TO WIN
THE WORLD WAR
CRISIS OF STRUGGLE IS HERE
MESSAGE IS READ TO A LARGE
FARMERS CONFERENCE AT
URBANA, ILL.,
| Washington. Jan. 31.-To the farm
ers OF the United States President
Wilson today sent message in which
he called attention to the eountry's
need of their assistance during the
coming year In winning the war. The
message was sent through the farm
ers' conference being held at the Uni
versity Of Illinois at Urbana.
The message was delivered by Presi-
dent James. of the University Of H.
linois, In the absence of Secretary of
Agriculture Houston who was to have
represented the President. The Presi-
dent had expected to attend but in
disposition made it impossible and he
delegated Mr.. Houston who was pre-
vented from participating by the tie
up in transportation facilities.
| The Presidents message said:
II need not tell you, for am sure
you realize as keenly as l do that We
are as nation in the presence of
great task which demands supreme
sacrifice and endeavor Of every one Of
us. We can give everything that is
needed with the greater willingness
and even satisfaction because the OBJ
ject of the war in which we are en-
gagged is the greatest that free men
have ever undertaken. 1t is to pre-
vent the life of the world from being
determined and the fortunes of men
everywhere affected by small groups
of military masters who seek their
own interest and the selfish dominion
throughout the world of the govern
ment control
Forced Into War
You will not need to be convinced
that it was necessary for US as a free
people to take part in this war. It
had raised its evil hand against US.
The rulers of Germany had sought to
exercise their power in such a way as
to shut off our economic life so far as
our intercourse with Europe was con-
cerned and to confine our people with
in the western hemisphere while they
accomplished purposes which would
have permanently impaired and imped-
ed every process of our national life
and have put the fortunes of Ameri-
ca at the mercy of the imperial govern
ment of Germany This was no threat.
1t had become a reality. Their hand
of violence had been laid upon our
own people and our own property In
fragrant violation not only of justice
but of the we'll recognized and long
standing covenants of International
law and treaty.
| Revolution Over Again
I'VE are fighting, therefore, as truly
for the liberty and self-gov-ernment
Of the United States as If the war Of
our own revolution had to be fought
over again, and every man in every
business in the United States must
know by this time that his whole
fortune lies in the balance. Our ma
tional life and our whole economic
development will pass under the sinis
ter influence of foreign control IL we
do not win. We must win. therefore
and we shall win. I need not ask you
to pledge your lives and fortunes with
those of the rest of the nation to the
accomplishment Of that great end.
| Crisis Has Arrived
"You will realize as l think states
men on both sides of the water real
ize. that the eliminating crisis of the
struggle has come and that the
achievements of this year on the one
side or the other must determine the
issue. 1t has turned out that the
forces that fight for freedom, the
,freedom of men all over the world
as we'll as our own depend upon us
in an extraordinary and unexpected
degree for sustenance. for the supply
of the materials by which men are
to live and to fight and it will be
our glory when the war is over that
we have supplied those materials
and supplied them abundantly and
it will be all the more glory because
in supplying them we have made
our supreme effort and sacrifice.
| Tln nnvnrroy. oiunnd o1,orv Qrf