Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-04-07

in which no brave or gallant nattoH
can long take pride. A great people.
helpless by their own act, lies for the
time at their mercy. Their fair pro-
fessionss are forgotten. They nowhere
set up justice. but everywnere impose
their power and exploit everything Tor
their own use and aggrandiHement !;
and the peoples Of conquered PROVINCES
are invited to be free under their do
minion.
Would Do Same Thing to West.
'Are we not justified in believing that
they would do the same things at their
western front il they were not there
face to face with armies whom even
their countless divisions cannot over
come? If, when they have felt their
check to be final, they should propose
favorable and equitable terms with
regard to Belgium and France and
Italy. could they blame us u We con-
ciuded that they did 30 only to assure
themselves Of free hand in Russia
and the east?
Their purpose IL undoubtedly to
free and ambitious nations Of the,
Baltic peninsula, all the lands that
Turkey has dominated and rnisruled,
subject to, their will and ambition
and build upon that dominion an
empire of force upon which they
empire Of gain and commercial su-
premacy-an empire as hostile to
the Americas as to the Europe which
1t will overawe-an empire which
will ultimately master Persia, India,
and the peoples OF the far east. In
such a program our ideals. the
ideals Of Justice and humanity and
liberty. the principle Of the free
self-determination of nations upon
which all the modern world insists.
can play no part. They are rejected
for the ideals Of power, for the
principle that the strong must rule
tho weak, that trade must follow
the flag. whether those to. whom it
is taken welcome it or not, that the
peoples of the world are to be made
subject to the patronage and over,
lordship OF those who. have the
power to enforce it.
THE program once carried out.
America and sll who care or dare to
stand with her must arm. and pre-
nare sthsnasflresst sto so9test tiaA saass
t6ry ox the world. { maStxry In
which the rights p1@llIlj6glGfaa
thy RIGHTS ~ tlnsH 1nA Of aaf ~
IRE 1sAk. must for the TIME being
% troddsn under foot. and disrs-
gssdAd. and ths old, age-lons struk-
Gle for. freedom and right. begin
aasin AT its besinnins. Everything
that America has lived for. ana loved
and grown great to vindfeats and
bring to glorious realization win
have. fallen in utter ruin and the
gates Of mercy once more ritilessly
shut upon mankind!
Ready for Just and Honest Peace.
- The thing is preposterpus and i'm
possible; and yet is not that what
the whole course and action OF the
German armies has meant whare-
ever they have moved? I do not
wish, even In this moment OF utter
establishment, to Judge harshly or
unrfghteously. Ijudge only what
the German arms nave accomplished
with Implying til horoug n . Q
throughout every fair region they
have touched.
What, then. are we to do? For
myself. I am ready. ready sttil. ready
even now. to discuss. . fair and Just
and honest peace at any time that
It II sincerely purposed.-a peace in
which the strong and the weak shall
fare alike. But the answer. when
I proposed such a peace. came from
the German commanders in Russia,
and 1 cannot mistake the meaning
of the answer.
accept the challenge know
that you accept it. All the world
shall know that you accept it. 1t
shall appear in the utter sacrifice
and self-forgetfulness with which
we shall give all that we love and
all that we have to redeem the
world and make 1t nt for free men
like ourselves to live in. This now
is the meaning of all that we do.
Lot everything that we say, my fell
low countrymen. everything that We
henoeforth plan and accomplish.
ring true to this response till the
majesty and might Of our concerted
powers shall dll the thought and
utterly defeat the force Of those
who hout and misprize what we
honor and hold dear. Germany has
once more said that force. and force
alone, shall decide whether justice
and peace shall reign in the affairs
of men, whether right as America
conceives 1t or dominion as she con-
ceives 1t shall determine the des-
TIMES Of mankind. There is, there
fore. but one response possible from
us: Force. force to the utmost, force
without stint or limit, tho righteous
and triumphant force which shall
make right the law of the world,
and cast every selfish dominion
down in the dust.