Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-09-23


An sane men long for the day of
peace. The supreme object for
which men are fighting by millions
is peace Every hour of war con-
sumes a vast toll Of lives and treas
ure. imperils and impovishes the
highest interests Of mankind.
Can We get peace now? Yes. n
peace of virtual surrender. such as
could be obtained from the success
ful bandit. might have been had
any day these past four years
peace Jhlch would consecrate crime.
4 peace which would leave the GRIM
inal Triumphant, no matter how
skillfully camoufaged by the diplo-
mats peace which would SOW
hountifullv the seeds Of worse war
to be fought br ourselves or our
children That kind of peace can be
Rad for the asking any day. But no
sane man. when he understands what
II reans. wants that kind of peace.
Wher can peace--a real peaCe-be
had Not until those rulers of Ger
r-any Who made this war. and who
have conducted II like cynical bar
barians are wholly repudiated by
thsir people A few of these leaders
hav. been dismissed by the German
en1pcror-those who we're suspected
ot harboring misGivinGs about the
ef1cacv Of the shining sword. who
have betrayed the slightest faint of
liberalism. The cynical gang That
planned the war. that broke falth
with nations. that rava gcd Belgium.
that ruined northern France, that
defy every human decency, are
still all powerful in Germany. No
peace worth calling peace can ever
be made with the imperial govern
ment Of Germany.
There are no signs yet worth
credence % their immediate loss OF
power There are no clear indica-
tons vet that the German people
are sick Of these rulers. that they
are alive 10 the crime and folly to
which they have been committed for
four years-and more. And. what is
worse there are as vet no credible
proofs that the German people have
r.rudiated IN their own souls the
Vile philosophy they have heen sub
tly taught and are now so brazenly
rractictrE When the day comes as
" must come. when the German ma
ton demonstrates to the outraged
world hV repudlatinS its guilty lead
ers and by plain remuneration of
their principles that it has at last
a awakened from its predatory dream
then. and not until then. peace
will come.
For all those who believe in the
possibility Of an enduring peace
among nations, for all those who ar
IDENTIFY long for the day when hu-
manly will substitute law and rea-
son for violence and trickery, the
way to that peace in which they
have faith Is to fight steadfastly on,
refusing 10 accept less than the full
reward of their sacrifices, and, by
the ever closer union OF the peoples
resisting the enemys pretentions,
demonstrate the possibility. the ac-
tuality of the cooperate common
wealth of humanity. where war will
no longer be tolerated.
Another specimen of sound reason
Ing. Patriotism and justice we quote
from the Poland China Journal:
Suppose that some day. when your
mind was occupied mainly with the
beauties and glories of this world.
one of your neighbours should sudden
~ break down all the fences. tranple
your cornfields. set fire to the barns.
outrage your wife and daughter and
drive off about 20 of your best Poland
Chinas while you were trying to put
out the fire. Suppose some Of the
other neighbors came in and got the
blaze under control while you and
some Of the boys started out to round
up the offending neighbor. After you
got him on his back with his tongue
hanging out and his nose spouting
tlaret. suppose he suggested you set
lie the whole thing by letting him
keep those stolen Poland Chinas. Is
II a fair guess that you would take
home your stolen property, make him
pay good and plenty for the damage
done and then soak him again for his
insolence' How tender hearted
would you be when such a man sug-
Eested he deserved generosity at your
hands?
And. yet. that's something like
what Germany is talking about now
that certain defeat is staring her in
the face. How she would like to have
back those colonies and keep a big
siice of Belgium and France, to say
nothing Of what she has grabbed in
Russia and other parts of Europe.
Now that defeat is upon her. we may
expect to hear subtle pleas for mercy,
appeals to our generosity for a beat
en- foe. At such a time those who
have at heart the welfare of America
and her allies-indeed, of the whole
world-must steel their hearts to de-
mand the full measure of justice.
There must be full reparation for
Belgium and France and Rumania
and Poland and Montenegro other
destroyed nations, not foot Of stolen
territory. not a colony, returned.
These are some Of the things the
victorious allies must demand at the
hands Of Germany. or our victory
will be but an empty one. Don't be
caught with empty peace talk and
sentimental appeals that Germany
should be spared from hardships. All
she can give and all she can do for
the next hundred years will be little
enough toward repairing the ruin
she has wrought.
"A New York correspondent
writes: with thousands Of saloons