Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-02-11
PEACE talk
NOW WRONG,
I. SAYS TAFT
War Has Not Been Won,
Former President Says
e.. at Camp. =.
Discusses Conflict, it's Pur-
poses and What U. S.
Hopes to Accomplish.

Fort Riley, Kans., Feb. 1.-THE
part which Americans must play in
the war was discussed here late today
by ex-President Taft in the first Of a
series Of addresses which he is to
make at training centers in the central
c.. A. auspices. Mr.. Taft arrived here
from Camp Pike mt was escorted at
once to his waiting audience of sold
iers. He said in part: .
1.-THE war has not been o Ger
many is in possession of Belgium and
part of northern France. She holds
Servia and Rumania. Poland and the
Baltic provinces of Russia. Peace
now, even though it be made on the
quo without indemnities m without
annexations,' would be a failure to
achieve the great purpose for which
the allies lave made heartrending
sacrifices. Armaments would con-
tinue for the next year, and this war
would have been fought in vain.
H who proposes peace now, there
fore, either does not see the stakes
for which the allies are fighting, or
still to control the destinies of all of
us as to peace or a Those who
favor permanent world peace must
oppose with might and main the pro-
posals for. peace at this %juncture in the
war, whether made in socialistic u
! ellis, in pro-German conferences, or by
Pope Benedict.
1.-The allies are fighting for a prin-
ciple, the maintenance of which at.
they do not achieve it. they have sac
rificed the flower of their youth and
mortgaged their future for a century.
The allies cannot concede peace until
they conquer it. When they do so. it
will be permanent. ! Otherwise they
fail.
Germany alone is responsible for
the incalculable destruction of this
war. She led on in the armament of
the world that she might rule it. She
promoted therefore the armament of
other nations. Her system was fol-
lowed, though not as effectively, by
other countries in pure defense of
their peace and safety.
Intrigue, dishonor, cruelty, have
characterized the entire military
policy of Germany. The rules of in
ternational law have been cast to the
winds. The murderous submarine has
sunk without warning the non-com.
blatant commercial vessels of the
enemy and drowned their officers
their crews and their passengers. men
women and children. Not only has
this policy been pursued against
enemy commercial vessels, but also
against neutral commercial vessels
We find a German diplomat tele'
graphing from a neutral port to the
German headquarters. advising that i
vessels of that neutral power it leave
no rae of the attack. In Other
words, the. murder of the crew mus
be rcomplete-'dead men tell no tales.
Having violated the neutrality o.
Belgium, having broken its sacred
obligation to that country and hel
people, it is now enslaving them by
taking them from Belgium and en-
forcing their labor in Germany. Thi:
tonal law, and is in defiance of thu
plainest principles of justice ant
honor. All these things are done fo1
the state. The ruling caste in Ger
many. in it's desperate desire to- win
has allowed no consideration of hu
mainly or decency. or honor to pre-
vent its use of any means which il
any way could by hook or crook &C
conplish a military purpose.
president Wilson says the allie
are fighting to make the world SAT-
for democracy Some misconceptio,
has been created on this head. Thu
allies are not struggling to force
particular form of government OF
Germany. If the German people con
tinue to wish ar emperor, it is not tn
purpose of the allies to require then
to have a. republic. Their purpose i
to end the military policy and foreig,
: policy Of Germany that looks to tn
I maintenance Of a military and nav
machine, with it's hair-trigEer prep
aration for use against her neighbors
If this continues. it will entail on ever:
democratic government the duty o
maintaining a similar armament il
T self defense, or. what is more likely
the duty will be wholly or partiall
neglected. Thus the policy Of Ger
many with her purpose and destin
will threaten every democracy. Thi
is the condition which it is the de
termined purpose of the allies, as in
terpreted by President Wilson, t
change. =
..How is the change to. be effected
BY defeating Germany in this wal
The German people have been yer
loyal to their emperor, because hi
leadership .accordsf with the falls
philosophy of the state and Germa,