New Britain herald., 1918-02-22

what the people of the United States are fighting for and will insist upon
 Of course, the newspapers are filled with discussions of these addresses, with headlines from which one might infer that negotiations for peace are going on. Such an inference would be a great mistake. Such addresses are primarily designed to make the peo- ples of the respective belligerents un- derstand clearly the position occupied by their own governments. Tn the meantime, the position which Ger many assumes does not come within a thousand miles of that assumed by the government of the United States and agreed to by our allies. The things which We are fighting for and will insist upon Germany will not con- sider or discuss at all. The things which Germany will insist upon we will not consider or discuss at all There is not only no negotiation, but there is no basis for negotiation. It is, moreover, perfectly clear that Ger many will not abandon her present position and recede to a position which will make peace negotiation possible until she has had a thorough whipping, which we and our allies must give hert, and will give her; but that can be done only by tremendous fight ing and great loss of life and suffer- ing and sacrifice, and to do this fight ing we must strain every nerve and exert all our powers. We must not forget that the statements of our peace terms mean not peace but war until Germany is beaten into accepting them. We must be careful that news paper headlines about peace terms do not distract our attention from the in tense concentration of effort upon war necessary to carry our country through the supreme test of her power to maintain her liberty. Let us be warned by poor Russia's present posi- 1 ton. The Bolsheviki were very elo- ] guent about peace ''without annexa- ton or indemnities," and they filled l the minds of Russian soldiers and l workmen with that idea to such an ex- l tent that they stopped fighting and l making munitions, but when they got l to Brest- -Litovsk they found what the 1 leaders probably knew all along that Germany had no intention of 1 making any such peace. She wanted l the Baltic provinces of Russia, and l she seized them and proposes to keep l them; and, Russia, having stopped l fighting in favor of the kind of peace 1 she admired, finds herself in a position l where, for the present, she has noth- l ing whatever to say about the kind of 1 peace there shall be. We must be- 1 ware of anything in the remotest de- 1 gree approaching that.
 Criticism.
 Another thing I wanted to say was about the effect of criticism on the conduct of the war. Of course, there have been mistakes and shortcomings. It would be miracle if there were l not. Everybody agrees to that. Nor is there any doubt that when there are mistakes and shortcomings it is a good thing to have them pointed out Sin cere and constructive criticism of executive conduct is a very useful ! thing. But we must all be careful that neither shortcoming nor criticism tends in the slightest degree to divert or decrease the heartiness with which we all support and re-enforce the 1 president and his civil and military officers in carrying on this war
 Abraham Lincoln said something l on this subject during the Civil War which is worth recalling now. He was speaking to the 164th Ohio Infantry l in September, 1864. He said:
 There may be mistakes made. l things may be done wrong, ] While the O1nCerS or the government 1 do all they can to prevent mistakes; but I beg of you as citizens of this great republic not to let your minds be carried off from the great work we have before us.
 The struggle is too large for you to be diverted from it by any small matter. When you return to your homes. rise up to the dignity of a generation of men worthy of a free 1 government and we will carry out the work we have commenced.'
 Petty Prejudices.
 That is the great thing-not to allow small irritations and petty pretu 1ices and personal predilections +o weaken our main purpose and prevent Us from rising to this great occasion ] This war must be fought and won bv he power and momentum of this people moving solid and whole heart- sd behind the president at Washinp- on, and not otherwise. This is to ho he big hour of American life, God grant we may all be fit for it. Mav he spirit of the Second Inaugura1 est upon your meeting.
 'Fondly do we hope, ferventlv do we pray that this mighty scouree of var may soon pass away.
 "'Yet, if God wills that it cont;nno until all the wealth piled by tho two hundred and fft,, req IS of unreauited toll shall be s,,nl. T Of hJ