The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-04-04


able address at that meeting, q
portion OF which was presented
in TheRsorum Tuesday. The follow
ing is the full text Of the adj
dress:
For the past FIVE years the Demo-.
cratic national administration has
made record in legislative achieve
ments which has never been equalled
in the history OF America by any
political party or by any administra-
ton. It is a record Of which every
Democrat may we'll be proud, not
only every Democrat but every citi-
zen. no matter what his political
faith may be. And IL these were
ordinary times II would be a pleasure
for me to discuss the legislative pro-
gram which has been carried into
effect by our distinguished President
and the Democratic house and SEM
ate. But these are not ordinary
times and I will confess that, with q
picture in my mind of the desperate
conflict which is now being waged on
the soil of France. between the forces
of democracy on the one side and the
forces Of military autocracy on the
other. / have little heart to discuss
party politics. Not that / deem
party politics and party measures of
minor Importance. but with civiliza-
ton itself threatened with the great
est menace in all the history OF the
race. issues OF such tremendous i'm
portance confront the people OF the
world that local matters pale into
comparative insignificance.
For nearly three wears our Presi-
dent. as chief executive of this coun
try. did everything possible, consist
ent with the honor OF the nation, to
keep out of the European war; but
the iunkers Of the German Empire,
drunk with the lust for conquest,
ruthlessly trampled upon the rights
Of neutral and noncombatants, until
on April S, 1917, the President was
compelled to 90 before the congress
of the United States and ask that
body to declare that a state Of war
existed between this country and the
imperial German government. The
seat OF the conflict is more than g.,
600 miles from our shores. and since
that date the one tremendous issue
before this country has been to ship
food, material and men across the
water, that democracy might be saw
ed for the generations yet unborn.
And because Of this condition of at
fairs. and because at the present
others which confronts the people Of
this nation, say again that party
politics are a secondary considera-
ton. and where in any way they
interfere with the most successful
carrying out of the one great issue
they should be reIeEated to the rear
until peace again wraps the world
within its protecting folds.
Fighting For An Ideal.
I'VE are sending to Europe the
flower OF our young manhood, send
ing them there. to fight not for terri |
torial expansion. not for trade expan- |
sion. not to subject any people or
any country to an obnoxious rule. but
purely for an ideal.-and that ideal |
is democracy, upon which this coun-
try is founded and upon which, with |
Gods help il will endure until long |
after Prussian militarism. which at
one time attempted 10 subjugate all I
the people of the civilized world, has 1
ceased to exist and remains in the |
mind Of humanity only as a detested /
memory. No American need have !
any fear as to the record which will |
be made in this war by the young /
men who have gone over there. Their /
conduct, whether upon the battlefield /
rs will make every American proud /
to think that he belongs to the same
country they represent. When the
history Of the war is written they
viii be accorded a place second TO I
none. not even to the valiant French
and English. whose deeds OF heroism
In this war are beyond the praise Of /
any man or any historian.
~ e-r.As-.g.a.
"But we who remain at home
also have much to do. In the
long years OF preparation for
conquest. which have been so EN-
GENTLY occupied by the junkers
of Germany. their propaganda
has been we'll distributed in all
countries. and. humiliatinE as the
admission may be. il has been
carried on to some extent even I'm
our own country; and / desire to
earnestly impress upon YOU that
the stamping out OF this propa
ganda Is and should be the most
important work of every loyal
American in the United States
The man who loudly proclaims
that he is for America. first, last
and all the time and follows up
that proclamation by any condi
try and his flag. He may be mis-
led and honestly so. but the fact
remains that at this time. with
this mighty republic facing the
gravest crisis in its history. mot
only this republic but the democ-
racies of all the world. yes, even
civilization itself with this
condition confronting up. the man
within the borders Of these Unit
ed States who places the slight
est condition upon his whole
hearted patriotism and loyalty
to his country is really an enemy
OF his country and an asset to the
Prussian militarists with whom II
we are engaged in a death strug-
gle.
THE propaganda, difused for the
urpose of hampering this govern
1ent I'm the conduct OF the war. takes
aanY and varied forms. First, we
ave the man who tells us he is
gainst CONSUMPTION and believes that
he only way to raise an army Is by
he volunteer system. AS a matter ,
( fact the volunteer system Of rais- !
ag an army is the most undemo-
ratio system which could possibly
e evolved.
Only Democratic Way.
For example. we have on the one
ide Of the street a man with two
ons Of military age who are patriotic
nd loyal to their country and who
elieve that citizenship in this great
emoeracY Of ours is the greatest I
Material blessing which can come to
man. and who are willing to de-
end that citizenship with their lives
necessary. Both OF these boys J
olunteer for the army. But on the ]
ther side Of the street we have an
ther man with two sons OF military I
sc who believe that their only duty (
) this government is to set every h
hing possible from Il and 10 give 7
othing in return. Neither Of them !
nlists in the army. Consequently, !