Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1918-06-28
bringing an end to the COLI.

ed States Senate at that time would
have voted for the declaration of war
"Since the declaration. both as Unit.
ed States Senator and as a private cit.
izen, ] have continued to stand by the
President, and have given the utmost
&c die support OF his administration
and of the measures he has advocated.
acknowledge that hoped we might
maintain peace with honor. and
would deem myself untrue To Amer.
ica's best traditions and best ideals II
I did not. l make no apologies for my
confidence in both the loyalty and wis.
dom of our President and. having
faith in him and at the time hoping
that a way might have been found in
honor to avoid war, on the 9Th Of
March, 1917, expressed to the Presi-
dent my faith in him and my hopes
for the preservation of an honorable
and just peace.
ut is true that at that time the war
clouds were gathering, but If it is I'M
American to hope even amid the gath
ering war clouds that an infinite and
all-wise God might point the way to
avoid the letting Of blood, then was
un-American. That telegram was an
appeal to President Wilson to save the
nation from war, IL possible to do so
without the surrender Of principle or
the sacrifice of honor. 1t is dated four
days after the Inauguration of Presi.
dent Wilson. That Inauguration fol.
lowed his election after campaign in
which one Of the proudest boasts of
our party was He kept up out of war
In addressing this telegram we who
signed 1t were but expressing the hope
that he might continue in the accom-.
plishment on which a majority of the
voters of the United States had set
their approval.
Peace Only With Honor.
IF my hope for honorable peace
was un-American, then every mother
who prayed to the God of Peace to
keep us out of war and thus avert the
sacrifice of her son upon the field Of
battle was un-American. Then the
hosts Of young men of this country,
who have come forward bravely in re.
Spouse to the countrys call since we
entered the war, but who hoped for an
honorable avoidance of war, were un.
American. But assert that the moth.
ers who prayed for peace, but who
have bravely given their sons to their
country, are 100 per cent American;
that the boys who have gone to the
front and who are going. but who also
hoped for peace, are 100 per cent
American, and that the rank and file
OF the American people, who hoped for
peace and loved peace, are 100 per
cent American, and any man who
seeks to make it appear that because a
citizen favored and hoped and prayed
for honorable peace he is in the slight
est degree un-American libels the best
Of American citizenship. 1t is but
cheap way for gentlemen now to
profiteer in sentiments of loyalty and
Americanism. The closing words of
the telegram making the basis of this
attack are as follows:
Permit us also to again express
the hope that you will succeed in keep.
ing the United States out Of war with.
out the surrender of principle or the
sacrifice of honor, and at the same
time to assure you of our conviction
that Congress and the whole people
will stand solidly back of you il il
becomes necessary that you make an
appeal for support in defending Amer.
lean rights
II was then ready to back up the
President in defending American
rights, and, as / have said, since the
call to arms l have supported the
prosecution to the utmost of my abil
ity. Both before and since my ap
pointment to the Senate I have said
and l say now-that am for the pros
ecution OF this war to the ultimate
and absolute, most unconditional
terms of peace, dictated by America
and her allies. In the end the peace
which shall be made must be a peace
founded upon liberty and justice and
equal rights of men and a peace that
shall be lasting and that shall mean
the end of militarism and autocracy |
stand now, as have always stood. |
with the President, with my country
and with the boys in the trenches. |
Upon my record and upon this plat |
form I ask to be nominated and elect, |
ed United States Senator"
W. E. Schneider, of Palmyra, |