The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-11
BIG JOB AHEAD
Continued from Page one,


vent it's use of any means which in
any way could by hook or crook &C
complish a military purpose
president Wilson says the allies
are fighting to make the world ssafe
for democracy Some nlisconception
has been created on this head. The
allies are not struggling to force a
particular form of government on
Germany. If the German people con-
time to wish an emperor,.it is not the
purpose of the allies to require them
to have q republic. Their purpose is
to end the military policy and foreign
policy of Germany that looks to the
maintenance of a military and naval
machine, with its hair-trigger prepar-
alton for use against her nelghDors-
If this continues. it will entail on
every democratic government the duty
of maintaining a similar armament in
self defense, OF, what is more likely,
the duty will be wholly or partially
neglected. Thus the policy of Ger
many with her purpose and destiny
will threaten every democracy. This
is the condition which it is the deter
mined purpose of the allies, as inter
preted by President Wilson, to change
How Is Change to Be Effected?
How is the change to be effected
By defeating Germany in this war.
The German people have been very
loyal to their emperor. because his
losophy of the state and German des-
tiny with which they have been in
doctrinated and poisoned. defeat
of the military machine must open
their eyes to the hideous futility of
their political course. The German
government will then be changed as
its people will have it changed, to
avoid the recurrence of such a trag-
edy as they have deliberately pre-
pared for themselves.
But now we are at a danger point
England and France and Russia since
1914 have been fighting the battle of
the world and fighting for us in
America. The three years or more of
war have drained their vitality,
strained their credit. exhausted their
non-combatants to suffering and de-
struction, and they have the war
WEAKNESS which dulls the earlier eager
enthusiasm for the principles at stake.
Now specious proposals for peace are
likely to be most alluring to the faint
hearted, and most powerful in the
hands of the traitors.
We've Begun the War Right.
I'VE have. for the first time in the
history of our republic, begun a war
right. We have begun with a con-
scTiption law which requires service
from men of certain age from every
walk of life 1t is democratic in prin-
-
ment the means of selection so that
| those who shall be sent to the front
may be best fitted to represent the
nation there, and those best able to
do the work in field and factory es-
sential to our winning at the front,
may be retained. We have adopted a
| merit system of selecting from the
intelligent and educated youth of the
country, the company officers of an
army of a million and a half or two
million that we are now preparing.
The lessons of the three years of
the war are being learned and applied
in our war equiment and in neutral
iZing, by new construction. the sub
| marine destruction of commercial
transports. Food conservation is pro-
vided for. But, of course, it takes
time for hundred million of peace
! lovers and militarists to get ready,
however apt, however patriotic, how
ever Determined 1t is in the period
of the year before the United States
| can begin to fight that the strain is to
come in Europe. But Germany is
stopped on the western and Italian
than on the allies.
Fight for Moral Victory.
When the war is won. the United
States will wish to be heard as to
peace terms. The United States will
insist on just peace, not one of ma
! teTlal conquest II Is d moral VictOTS
tho world should win. l think / do
not mistake the current of public SEN
timent thruout our entire country in
saying that our people will favor an
international agreement by which the
peace brought about thru such blood
and suffering and destruction and
| enormous sacrifices shall be preserved
by the joint power of tho world.
\ Meantime, let us hope and pray
that all the allies will reject proposals
| for settlement and compromise OF
every nature: that they will adhere
rigidly and religiously to the princi-
| pie that until a victorious result gives
security that the world shall not again
| be drenched in blood thru the insanely
selfish policy of military caste ruling
a deluded people intoxicated with ma
| terIal success and power, there will