Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-02-22
"BEWARE FOES
PEACE OFFERS"
-ELlhU ROOT
SECURITY LEAGUE CONGRESS is
URGED TO HEED RUSSiA'S
MISFoRTUNES
-ELlAU ROOT

Chicago, FeD. L1.--lH d letlei loo"
I TO the Congress of National Service
today, Elihu Root, honorary president
of the National Security league, SAID
the public should be careful not to
have its attention distracted from the
intense concentration necessary 10
win the war by the discussion about
neace terms that was appearing IN
some of the papers and at some gath.
-erings. He pointed out that there not
only are no negotiations but no basis
for peace negotiations.
The congress opened three days
session in the Medinah temple, with
DELEGATES present from many states.
It was called to order by H. H. Mer-
rick. chairman of the Chicago branch
of the National Security league, the
congress being held under the auspices
of the national body, and addresses
were made by Frank O. Lowden, gov
ernor Of Illinois; S. Standwood Men
ken. president Of the National Security
league, and William II. Taft, former
president of the United States.
WARNED BY RUSSIA
In his letter regretting his inability
through illness to be present at the
congress, Mr.. Root said.
"Let us be warned by poor Russia's
present position. The bolsheviki were
yery eloquent about peace without an
nexations or indemnities' and they I'LL
ed the minds of Russian soldiers and
vorkmen with the idea to such an ex-
tent that they stopped fighting and
making munitions, but when they got
to Brest-Litovsk they found what the
leaders probably knew all along-tnat
Germany had no intention OF making
any such peace. She wanted the BAL
tic provinces of Russia and she selzed
and purposes to keep them. and Rus
sia. having stopped fighting in favor
o fine king of peace she admired, finds
herself in a position where, for the
present, she has nothing whatever 10
say about the kind of peace there snail
be. We must beware of anything IN
The remotest degree approaching that.
TO SPEED VICTORY
az beg of you citizens of this great
republic not to let your minds be car
rfed from the great work we have be-
fore US"
The object OF the congress is to
arouse the morale of the people SO
that loyal support may be accorded
every effort put forth to accomplish
the speedy winning of the war
Mr., Menken in his address asserted
that '-as yet the people OF the United
States>>have not proven that democ-
racy is the most effective form OF gov
eminent.
DUTY NOT REALIZED
1--WE have failed to develop in the
average citizen sense Of personal
responsibility for the conduct of the
government, sufficiently strong 10
translate itself into continuous ser.
-vtee for the, commonwealth. W.
"Politics has a by-product OF self
centered existence. When great cues
tions arose we failed to meet them
with due regard for the science OF
government or of related principles OF
sound economics.
"Slavety We disposed Of only after
a great war; tariff we dealt with
through fourteen bills. each producing
panic and disaster destructive of COM
mercial progress; banking. currency.
concentrations, railroad and antitrust
bills We allowed to become political
issues in our ignorance that they
were matters for the student of the
science of government and not related
70 partisan politics.
iNpICTS CITIZENS
''This course Of the responsible, re-
spectable, industrious and financially
vellto-do indicts them for failure to
perform their duty as citizens.
.'The result has been government
by default. submit that the decision
Of great problems by the masses is
proof positive that public education
has not equipped the citizen to serve
the country. America has to compete
with countries organized upon modern
system methods. just as are our great
est industrial plants, and with whose
citizens patriotism is religion. 1t is
ridiculous to think that we can main
tain our position without thorough
general mental preparedness, this
calls for a revolution in the practice
and teaching of citizenship and en-
,phasizes the truth that knowledge by
the people is national security"