Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-01-25
People Must knovN'lssues.

citedly, "Warn the committees; warn
the committees !" ..-.-
People Must knowt'Issues.
We will not make full progress In
this war until we can bring home to
the people to their very hearthstones
that not only is this as vital contest
as any that America was ever en-
gagged in, but that is one that affects
the happiness, prosperity, and the hon
or of the American people. rs
Remember the fine lines Of the no
blest hymn ever written for any ma.
ton in the hour Of battle-1 mean
Julia Ward Howe's Battle Hymn OF
the Republic, and nothing in any liter.
ature has q more martial movement
than that most stirring Of all battle
hymns: $.,j,
He has sounded forth the trumpet that
shall never call retreat,
He is sitting out the hearts Of men before
His judgment seat.
oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him. b
jubilant, my feet,
Our God Is marching on.
Is our soul swift to answer our
country's call? Are our feet jubilant
to enter into this contest? If not,
then the nation is in peril. This war
will not be matter Of months, and
sooner or later the mere patriotic SUBJ
mission to a political action Of gov
eminent will spend it's force. A people
must have a definite enthusiasm if it
is to give the best blood of its youth
to any cause. You will not find that
spirit until you reach the individual
American and teach him that he has
a vital and personal interest in this
particular war.
Rule Of Force Must Go.
Our people must be brought to real
lze vitality and practically that this
war involves the sacred principle Of
righteousness in international affairs,
the rule of reason in the common
wealth of nations, and that unless this
be vindicated by peace with victory,
oil talk of the pacification Of humanity,
whether by The Hague tribunal or
paper treaties Or leagues Of peace or
In any other way you please, is all
rainbow phantasy and moonshine. Un.
less there can be first established the
great principle of right and reason
the principle Of law dominating sover.
eign nations, liberal civilization will
perish from the earth. When Ger.
many and Austria attempted to crush
Serbia without rhyme or reason, with
out opportunity for discussion, Great
Britain, France, and Russia said, Let
us reason about It," and Germany said
mol" '"Then give us little time" |
"No" ~Then let us have a confer.
ence." "No!' "Then let US have ar
bitration." "Now "Let us have me-
'No!" "Let us discuss 1t
in any way you please, by any expe-
dent you may select; you can have
Belgrade and occupy 1t as a hostage.
but for Gods sake do not spill the best
blood of the world needlessly. Ger<
many and Austria said, mo! You
will do our will or you will have q
universal war!"
If that principle Of force as the
ultima ratio is to prevail, the world
will 60 back centuries, even to the
cave dwellers; because, II you 60 back
even twenty centuries, the law of Rome
had at least something of justice and
IF the obligations Of law in its main
tenance of the worlds peace; whereas
n this case you have brutal and
primitive negation of any principle Of
light or wrong, you have simple the
that might, and might alone,
hall govern the affairs Of men.
Most Sacred Cause.
There never was q more sacred
'ause fought for since the world be.
IAN than that for which Trance and
treat Britain and their allies have
litherto SO freely given the best blood
4 their youth.
his world is to be dominated by bru-
al force. Whatever optimism I might
ave had three months ago I have not
l the same measure now. think
be issue of this titanic conflict is very
oubtful. 1t is a life-and-death Crap
lie between the two great powers Of
ght and might; but want to say adj
isedly and deliberately that If I saw
learly that the cause of the allies was
ding down to defeat, that we were
} be involved in that defeat, that we
ere to suffer its grievous and burden.
ome penalties, I would yet thank God
lat the United States went into the
ar and fell and suffered with the
ghteous rather than 1t should re-
ain neutral and profit by other peo- :
les sufferings. have no regret that
e entered into this war. There was
My one thing for q proud and self.
.specting nation to do; and I rejoice
lat America, with all her many disad.
antages with respect to her hetero- .
eneous population, its diversifed- 2
speaking conditions, :,
Is had the soul to accept her share "
the burdens Of q distracted civil. :,
Ition.
To recur to my thesis, let patri. V
ic service league, under whatever =,
H.