The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1918-11-29

Today the world knows that the
kaiser's boasted invincible empire
was but a huge, vast, militaristic
machine, a thing of force without
heart, of power without soul, of ac-
tion without conscience-the imper-
sect product of distorted philosophy
with no perception of right or wrong,
Justice or injustice, truth or false
hood, virtue or vice ,as such, and
that it has been overwhelmed by the
deals. it despised, crushed by the
power, it denied, conquered by the
truth it rejected. -" s.:.. :t..-,, ..-,
= 81 Failure of Dream. ~
Selecting, as Kaiser Wilhelm and
his advisors did, time for attack
and invasion when the military
strength and resources Of Germany
and her allies were at their zenith,
and the rest of the world lay dor
mant, so far as military preparations
were concerned, the, wonder, is that
the kaiser's dream Of world dOmina-
tions did not come true before an
adequate resisting force could be
created And when we think of the
near approach of the invading armies
to Paris and the channel ports it
seems incredible that they did ! not
continue to advance and conquer;
andyewe cannot but believe that the
intervention of the Divine will at the
crucial moment saved the worlG from
Prussian subjucation. 1t also made
possible the subsequent developments
which combined to accomplish. the
defeat of Hun brute-force and subtle
intrigue and to afford the world by
far the greatest cause for thankful
ness that history records And so,
as. said by our immortal Lincoln at
the close of the civil war: we can
not but believe that He who made
the world still governs it,
:: Are Truly Thankful
"As American citizens we should
be, and we are, truly thankful today
hat we had the courage and the
manhood to enter this war. We did
20 far a different reason than all the
rest France and Italy fought be-
sause, invaded and in the effort to
regain lost provinces; Great Britain
in support of her treaty relations
With Belgium; Russia primarily to
gain Constantinople; Austria, Bull
raria and Turkey with hope Of re-
ward Germany to control central
Europe and to conquer the world.
Unlike all these the United States
vent into the conflict not for dol
ars, nor for empire, nor for con-
1uest Or hope of reward, but only
s..or, the preservation Of cur inalien-
sbie right to be free, to be let alone
and the nonly after an unholy
var had been wageG against us for
more than two years. Ours was a
war against. crime, against autocracy,
gainst militarism, against the over
:hrow Of our freedom and our liber-
les, against imperialism. On our
)art it was war for democracy, for
freedom, for liberty, and that the re-
n1blics of the world may live and
endure.
Should Make Certain.
Having entered it, and having by
the grace of God helped to win it,
we want now to make certain that
The principles we have fought for
will be established and established
firmly. * Is
"And then we want our boys back
home again. We know that just now
those who are still alive and healthy
are on a triumphal march to the
Rhine, met by the cheers of the
rescued populace and bombarded,
mot. by shells and bullets, but with
garlands and flowers. r.
49, Reasons for Thanks.
High in the list of our reasons
for thankfulness at this time is the
fact that we were, as a nation, in
a position to repay, in part at least,
he debt that we owed to the Repub-
lie of France, and that we evinced
the honor and had the courage to
3erform our plain duty. This alone
arouses in every one Of us a spirit
# national pride and thrills us with
the satisfaction of having voluntarily
done that which our conscience tells
us was the only right thing to do.
To have refrained longer from inter-
vening to have bleeding France from
the cruel onslaught of the Prussian
hordes would have subjected America
to the just charge Of wanton in
humanity, as we'll as to the criticism
of base ingratitude. We should be.
and we are, thankful today that
there is no chance TO arraign us on
either count
Another thought for contempla-
tion at this Thanksgiving service.
1t is this: The present period marks
a conspicuous epoch in the history
Of the United States in its relations
with France, Great Britain, Italy,
Belgium, Serbia, End 7 might well
add Japan, China, and other coun-
tries. We Joined with these nations
in d war for God and humanity; and,
because we did so, the spirit which
will henceforth animate these coun-
tries in their attitude toward us will
be more important than anything af-
fecting nations which has ever before
existed. We rejoice to see the flags
of these nations unfurled in unison
and for one purpose. God grant that
they may never again be displayed
in defiance of one another. a.
PRAY for Guidance.
while today contemplating the
past with thankfulness and with
profound recognition of the truth
that in every great crisis the will
of God prevails, let us ask and fer
yentIv Dray for Divine guidance in