Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1918-04-11
PRESIDENTS REPLY
"Force" Is ne Substance Of
Wilson's Answer to Huns
Peace Propaganda.
WE MUST AROUSE GERMANY
U. S. Will Give No Consideration to
Peace Proposals Until Huns Awake
from Dream Of Domination-We
Have No vindictive Spirit.

Baltimore. wilson's &C
ceptance in speech here OF Ger
many's challenge that the issue be
tween the central powers and her en-.
emies be settled by force brought 10,
900 persons cheering to their feet.
The president. opening the third
Liberty loan campaign, carried his
audience with him in his address.
The answer to Germany's challenge
was:
Fellow citizens: This is the anniyer.
sary of our acceptance of Germany
challenge to fight for our right to live
and be free, and for the sacred rights
OF free men everywhere.
The nation 10 awake. There is no
need to call to 1t. We know what the
war must cost, our utmost sacrifice
the lives Of our fittest men, and, il
need be, all that We possess.
The reasons for this great war, the
reason why it had to come, the need
to fight 1t through, and the issues that
hang upon its outcome, are more
clearly disclosed now than ever be-
fore. It Is easy to see just what this
particular loan means because the
cause we are fighting for stands more
sharply revealed than at any previous
crisis Of the momentous struggle. The
man who knows least can now see
plainly how the cause Of Justice
stands and what the imperishable
thing is he is asked to invest in. Men
In America may be more sure than
they ever were before that the cause
is their own, and that, IL 1t should be
lost. their own great nations place
and mission in the world would be
lost with II.
call you to witness, my fellow
countrymen. that at no stage of this
terrible business have | judged the
purposes Of Germany Unexpectedly.
should be ashamed in the presence OF
affairs SO grave, so frought with the
destinies of mankind throughout all
the world, to speak with turbulence
to use the weak language Of hatred
or vindictive purpose. We must
Judge as we would be judged. have
sought to learn the objects Germany
has in this war from the mouth OF
her own spokesman, and to deal as
frankly with them as | wished them
10 deal with me- l have laid bare our
own ideals. our own purposes without
reserve or doubtful phrase, and have
asked them to say as plainly what il
is that they seek.
We have ourselves proposed no in
Justice, no aggression. We are ready
whenever the final reckoning is made
to be just to the German people, deal
fairly with the German power. as with
all others. There can be no differ
ence between peoples in the final
Judgment If 1t is indeed to be a right
eous judgment. To propose anything
but justice, even handed and dispas
sionate justice, to Germany. at any
time. whatever the outcome OF the
war. would be to renounce and dis
honor our own cause. For we ask
nothing that we are not willing to &C
cord.
1t has been with this thought that
/ have sought to learn from those who
spoke for Germany whether it was
justice. or dominion and the execution
OF their own will upon the other ma
tions of the world that the German
leaders were seeking. They have an
swered in unmistakable terms. They
have avowed that it was not Justice
but dominion and the unhindered ex
ecution Of their own will
The avowal has not come from
Germany's statesmen. 1t has come
from her military leaders who are her
real rulers. Her statesmen have said
that they wished peace and were
ready to discuss it's terms whenever
their opponents were willing to sit
down at the conference table with
them. Her present chancellor has
said-in indefinite and uncertain
terms, indeed. and in phrases that
often seem to deny their own mean
ing, but with as much plainness as he
thought prudent-that he believe C
that peace should be based upon the
principles which we had declared
would be our own in the final settle
ment. At Brest-Litovsk her civilian
delegates spoke In similar terms
professed their desire to conclude a
fair peace and accord to the peoples
with whose fortunes they were deal
ing the right to choose their own al
legiances. But action accompanied
and followed the profession Their