The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-04-04
An1ericdniSnl As Depicted
By y. S. Marshal Doyle

/ tells us that this country should have
taken its ships out OF the highways
OF commerce and kept them at home,
and have thus avoided the unwar-
ranted attacks and sinkings Of AM
erlcan vessels on the high seas and
the consequent loss Of American
lives. Let Us analyze this posi-
ton for q moment. None Of these
men claimed that we did not
have a perfect right upon the high
seas. All admit that ali international
law and international custom gives
to neutral vessels the right 70
traverse the waterways Of the world
i'm the pursuit OF peaceful commerce.
This being conceded. il our govern
ment at the command Of Germany
withdrew our vessels and kept them
locked in our own ports. that act
alone would make us q vassal Of Ger
many and no longer a free and inoe-
pendent nation. But let US further
analYze the conditions which would
follow an act OF this kind. We are
essentially an export nation. The
nations Of Europe engaged In this
war. including Germany herself have
come to our shores and purchased
our goods and taken them away.
American bottoms have carried these
goods to foreign shores. and by so
doing have maintained our export
trade during the war. Let me ask
the farmers of North Dakota. who
are now receiving $500 per bushel for
wheat at the terminal markets, what
that wheat would be worth IL our
government had bowed to the
arrogant demands Of the junxers of
Germany, when they declared that
~ a lie 49,
ways Of the world? know, and
every man in this country should
know, that our farm products would
have been a drug on the market. In
fact. there would have been no mar
ket for them.
Free Speech.
"And then again, we have people
in this country who are continually
claiming they are afraid that the
right of free speech is to be curtailed
in America. And again / wish to
call your attention TO the fact that
there never has been a single
instance OF any man who was vigor-
ously supporting the government. or
who was engaged in any Of the vari-
Gus patriotic and loyal works which
are being carried on at this time. de-
claring he had the least apprehension
The men who are going about the
country declaring that free speech Is
being limited and done away with
are the same men who are telling you
they are loyal to the country at all
times, but who follow this statement
with qualifications Treason In the
federal statutes is defined as levying
war against the United States or
giving aid and comfort to her
enemies. Now ] claim that any man
who, when the country is at war,
openly opposes war measures such as
the selective draft, Is giving aid and
comfort to our enemies, not perhaps
in such manner as to bring him in
to the federal court on a charge Of
treason under this statute, but that
he is morally guilty of giving such
aid and comfort no man can serious
" deny. And then again, we have
another propaganda, the man who
tells YOU this Is a rich mans war,
that it is a war brought on for the
benefit Of commercial profiteers. And
again / say to you that any man who |
makes this statement lis either so |
denBeIy ignorant Of the conditions
leading up to the conflict as TO make !
him a public menace to the country |
at this time. or he also is in fact a |
German propagandist and is at heart /
disloyal TO the cause which means |
so much to the future Of not only |
this country but the civilized world i
Such statements, coming from any
American at this time, are the most |
unjustified and outrageous ISLANDERS 4
ever made against the ideals OF a ma
ton.
I'm selecting candidates TO carry
the banner of democracy in North
Dakota in the coming campaign, /
ask Of you gentlemen who are here
as the authorized representatives Of
the Democrats throughout the differ
emit parts of the state, that YOU
scrutinize carefully the records OF Il
the candidates. 1T Ia not sufficient for
a man at this time to declare him.
self loyal to his country. IL his record
for the past year shows that he has
been insofar as he could be, an
in the carrying out of
the Administrators wal program.
This question Of 100 per cent, loyalty
Is the only test Select as your
standard bearers men who are known
10 belong TO this class OF our citizen
ship and you will not only have gain i
cd the respect of the people OF this
state but you will also gain their as
sistance and support at the polls III
November"