The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1918-02-21

to state and agitate my views as long
as our country was neutral.
For American Honor and Safety
"Now, America, the never-defeated,
has thrown her sword into the scale,
because to do so was indispensable
for our honor and our safety, the pre-
servation of our institutions and our
very destiny. To cooperate towards
the successful conclusion of the war
is the one and supreme duty of every
American, regardless Of birth, OF
sympathies and of political views.
"The American of German descent
who, at this time of test and trial,
does not serve the land Of his adop-
ton with the utmost measure of sim
minded devotion and with every
ounce of his power, perjured himself
when he took his oath of allegiance
and proves himself guilty Of treach-
crous duplicity.
Taint Not in German Blood
81 believe that we should speak out,
to convince our native-born fellow cit
liens that our fundamental concep-
tions of right and wrong are like
theirs, that the faint of Germany is
not in the blood, but in the system of
rulership, that we are with them and
of them intellectually, single-mind-
eddy and unreservedly; because if we
failed in conveying to them that con-
viction in the hour of our common
country's stress and trial there would
ensue the calamity of spiritual, it
not an actual, breach between them
and us which it would take genera
ton to heal.
Not the Germany of Old
"There are some of you, probably,
who will still find it hard to believe
that the Germany you knew can be
guilty of the crimes which have made
it an outlaw amongst the nations.
"But do you know modern Ger
many? Unless you have been there
within the last Is years, not once or
twice, but at regular intervals; un-
less you have looked below the glitter
ing surface of the marvellous material
progress and achievement and seen
how the soul Of Germany was being
eaten away by the virulent poison of
Prussianism; unless you have watch
ed and followed the appalling trans
formation of German mentality and
morality under the nefarious and
puissant influence of the priesthood
of power-worship, you do not know
the Germany Of this day and genera
ton.
ut is not the Germany of old, the
land of our affectionate remembrance.
It is not the Germany Of the first
Emperor William, a modest and God
fearing gentleman.
Warnings of Bismarck
! at is not the Germany, even of Bis
marck, man of blood and iron though
he was, who had builded a structure
which, whilst not founded on liberty
yet was capable and gave promise Of
going down into history as one of the
greatest examples of enlightened and
even benefcent autocracy; who in the
contemplative and mellowed wisdom
of his old age, often warned the ma.
ton against the very spirit which
alas! came to have sway over it, and
against the very war which that spirit
unclaimed.
j 1.-THE Germany which brought upor
! the world the Unreasonable disaster
of this war, and at whose monstrous
deeds and doctrines and civilized ma.
tions of the earth stand aghast, start.
ed into definite being less than 81
years ago. l can almost lay my fin
ger upon the date and circumstances
of it's ill-omened advent.
Beginning of the Path of Error
"Less than 80 years ago new
course was famboyantly proclaimed
by those in authority, and the tern
new course became the order of thu
day. With it and from it there came
a truly marvellous quickening of thu
energies and creative abilities of tn.