The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-04-08

ishable thing is he is asked to in
vest in. Men in America may be
more sure than they ever were be-
fore that the cause is their own and
that, IL it should be lost, their own
great nations place and mission in
the world will be lost with it.
No Turbulence Used.
Il call you to witness, my fellow
countrymen, that at no stage OF this
terrible business have / judged the
purposes of Germany intem perately.
/ should be ashamed in the presence
of affairs so grave, so fraught with
the destinies Of mankind throughout
all the world, to speak with trucul-
ence, to use the weak language Of
hatred or vindictive purpose. We
must judge as we would be judged.
have sought to learn the objects
Germany has in this war from the
mouths Of her own spokesman, and
to deal as frankly with them as
wished them to deal with me. / have
laid bare our own ideals, our own
purposes, without reserve or doubt
full phrase, and have asked them to
say as plainly what it is that they
seek ... ..
I'VE have ourselves proposed no
Injustice, no aggression. We are
ready, whenever the final reckoning
is made, to be just to the German
people, deal fairly with the German
power, as with all others. There can
be no difference between peoples in
the final judgment, IL 1t is indeed
to be a righteous judgment. To pro-
handed and dispassionate Justice, to
Germany, at any time whatever,
would be to renounce and dishonor
our own cause. For we ask nothing
that we are not willing to accord.
Justice or Dominion.
TT has been with this thought that
/ have sought to learn from those
who spoke for Germany whether it
was Justice or dominion, and the
execution Of their own will upon the
other nations OF the world that the
German leaders were seeking. They
have answered, answered in unmis-
taxable terms. They have avowed
that il was not justice but dominion,
and the unhindered execution Of
their own will. The avowal has not
come from Germany's statesmen. II
has come from her military leaders
who are her real rulers. Her states
men have said that they wished
peace and were ready to discuss its
terms whenever their opponents
were willing to sit down at the con-
ference table with them, Her pres
ent chancellor has said in indefinable
and uncertain terms, indeed and in
phrases that often seem to deny
their own meaning, but with as
much plainness as he thought pru-
dent-that he believed that peace
should be based upon the principles
which we had declared would be our
own in the final settlement.
AT Brest- Litovsk her civilian
delegates spoke in similar terms;
Professed their desire to conclude a |
fair peace according to the desire OF
the people with whom they were
and giving them the right
to choose their own allegiance. But
action accompanied and followed
the profession. Their military mas
ters: the men who act for Germany |
and exhibit her purpose in executions
proclaimed a very different conclus-
ion. We cannot mistake what they
have done in Russia, In Finland, in |
the Ukraine, in Rumania. The real |
test Of their Justice and fair play has
come. From this we may judge the
rest.
They are enjoying in Russia a
cheap triumph in which no brave or
gallant nation can long take pride. |
A great people, helpless by their own
act, lies for the time at their mercy. !
Their fair professions are forgotten.
They nowhere set up Justice, but
everywhere impose the power and /
exploit everything for their own use
and ACKNOWLEDGMENT; and the peo-
pies Of conquered provinces. are in
yited to be free under their dominion.
Would Repeat In West.
care we not justified In believing
hat they would do the same things
n their western front If they were
not there face TO face with the
armies whom even their countless
divisions cannot overcome? IT, when
.hev have felt their check TO be final,
.hev should propose favorable and
Suitable terms with regard tot
Belgium and France and Italy could
.hey blame US if we concluded that
hey did SO only to assure themselves
II a free hand In Russia and the
EAST?
"Their purpose is undoubtedly to
make all the Slavic people ali TUG
rec and ambitious nations Of the
Baltic peninsula, and the lands that
Turkey has dominated and n.isruled,
subject to their viii and ambition
md build upon that dominion an em-
,ire of force upon which they fancy
hat they can then erect an empire
II gain and commercial supremacy
m empire as hostile to the Ameri-
ans as to the Europe which its VIII
empire which ulti-
natelv win master Persia. India and
he peoples of the Tar east. In such
program our ideals, the ideals OF
ustice and humanity, and liberty
he principle OF the free self-deter-
nination OF nations upon which all
he modern world insists, can play no
lart. They are rejected for the
deals OF power, for the principle
hat the strong must rule the weak
hat trade must follow the flag,
whether those to whom lit Is taken
Welcome it or not. that the peoples
Il the world are to be made subject
o the patronage and overlordship Of
hose who have the power to en-
0rce it
Everything At Stake.
THAT program once carried out
america and all who care o. dare 70