The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-06
Speaker Prescribes Rifle or Rope for Our Enemies at HOme-Have Stood
 for Enough
FLAYS MEN WHO PLACE POLITICS
 ABOVE COUNTRY
Pleads for Patience for Rus sia and Predicts No Sep arate Peace Between
 Russia and Germany

"When the spirit of France, spot less France, becomes the spirit of America, the worlds greatest war will have been won for democratic principles as against the conception of might making right, as advanced by the despotic Germanic govern ment," said Charles Edward Russell, recently returned from Russia IS a member of the American mission sent to that country by President Will son to learn of actual conditions in Russia.
 His address, which was stirring appeal to American patriotism, was delivered at the Tutwiler hotel last night.
 MT. Russell was introduced by J. Frank Rushton in a very brief but pointed manner. and he immediately went into his text: "The War and Democracy" The Tutwiler ballroom, where the ad- dress was delivered, was full to capacity, many being in the balcony, and quite number standing in the rear and in the hallway. Often would the audience break into terrific applause, especially when the great speaker, writer and pub fisher would Hay the unpatriotic citi- gen. the partisan politician and the Ger man propagandst. He was eloquent at times but in touching the finer points of his discourse he grew more and more elo- quent and forceful.
 FACING DARKEST HOUR
 Justice is an eternal law of God" said the speaker. 'sThis is the greatest hour, the greatest crisis and the dark est hour in America's history. This very minute the United States faces defeat and that without even a shot being fired upon our shores. Germany is attempt ing to split Russia into fragments and so far they have been successful in such diabolical efforts You may say as I talk that I am an alarmist, or that l ought not to talk of these unpleasant things. but there is no reason for man nor a nation concealing the truth With wide open minds and wide open eyes we should take the dimensions or the task that we are up against.
 eve have stood from our enemies at home about all that we should,
 think, and the rifle or the rope Is our
 recourse now, and I want to see the
 government reach out and get them,
 whether they are in the halls of Con-
 gress or elsewhere.
 T plead with you to have little
 patience with Russia, for in my own per sonal belief I do not think that Rus sia will ever make a separate peace with Germany. Russia Is honest and she is dealing with a knave, and an honest man and knave do not deal but once
 and when they fall out it is all over. There is no danger to democracy from anything on the inside of Russia, the only danger is from Germany"
 Dr. Russell was vociferousy applaud-
 ed when he flayed Senators Stone and Hitchcock, as well as LaFollette, for their utterances in the Senate Tn crit icism of the war department and the President, as well as Secretary Baker. lie was relentless upon these three senator's, and did not hesitate to express freely This contempt for them.
 "There is only one protection against injustice and wrongs Tor the worker, and that is democracy ana the haIlot box Wherever there is the ballot box and democracy there IS no tyranny and injustice to the working class This means everything, ana U is in imminent and deathly danger. "DOn't get the lIlpi SSSioi sii"e " T. a war among nations and 9. war or men. It is a struggle between two great principles--two conceptions or government. One or the other Is go- ing down to destruction. On one side we have government by virtue of a mysterious franchise supposed to have been dropped from the skies, and fall l ing to one particular family forming q monarchial government. on the other 1 side we have government by the peo- l ple. Between these two there has never 1 been peace--only an armed truce. They are absolutely irreconcilable Slowly 1 popular government has won over au- l tocratic government, and now at last I autocratic government is at bay, mak I ing it's last stand and it's last deciding struggle.
 l of autocracy wins. then all that has been won for democracy is lost and the world goes back to the dark ages.
 This struggle will determine forever | if democracy will work. If democracy l is defeated not government will dare practice it. It will not be safe; it will not be efficient. If Germany wins. 1 there will be conditions in which de- mocracy will be impossible. Germany is challenging the thought that there is any such thing as faith. If she wins. that challenge is sustained"
 I WE CAN BE DEFEATED