The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1918-04-07

"Nl ~ AHA ~ iOlutt tue Hctu
to fight It through, and the issues
That hang upon is outcome are more
clearly disclosed now than ever be
tore. 1t ia easy to see Just what this
particular loan means, because the
c&nse we arc fighting lor stands more
sharply revealed than ever al any
previous crises OF the momentous
htrugglt The man who knows least
can now see plainly how tho cause
OF justice stands ana what the i'm
nerishabl9 thiD5 is le is asked to in
vest in iIen ~ America may be
more than sure than they ever were
before that the cause "a their own and
that If It should be lost their own
great naion's place and mi, On,
would he lost with ii
"I call YOU to witness. my fellow
countrymcn, that At no stage OF this
terrible business have Judged the
purposes OF Germany Incorporate. |
should be ashamed in the presence Of
affairs SO grave, SO traught with the
destinies of mankind throughout all
the wOrld, 10 speak with turbulence,
70 use the weak language Of hatred
or viudiCtive purpose We must Judge
as we would he Judged | have sought
to learn the objects Germany has in
this war from the mouths of her own
spokesmen and to deal as frankly
with them As ! wished them to deal
with me have laid hare ON own
ideals, our own purposes wi hont re-
serve or doubtful phrase. and have
asked them TO say as plainly what it
IS that they seek We have our
selves proposed ne injustice. no ag-
gresslon We are ready whenever the
final reckoning Is made to be lust to
the German people. deal fairly with
the German power. as with all others.
There can be differences between
peoples Ia the final judgment. if II r.
indeed - be q righteous judgment
TO propose anything but justice. even
handed and dispas ssionate Justice to
Germany, a. any time. whatever the
outcoms OF the war. would be to re-
nounce and dishonor ou own cause
For we ask nothing thar we are not
willing to accord
1T has been with this thought that
have sought to learn from those who
speak for Germany whether It was
justice or dominion and the execution
OF their own VIII upon tho other ma
lions OF the world that the German
leaders were seeking They have an
swered, answered IN unmistskable
terms. They have ayowed that It. was
not justice, but dominion, and the un-
hindered execution Of their own will
The avoWal has not come from Ger
many's statesmen tt has come from
her military leaders who are her real
rulers. Her statesmen have said they
wished peace and we are ready to'dis-
cuss its terms whenever their oppo-
nents were willing TO sit down at the
conference table with them Her pres
ent chancellor has said-in definite
and uncertain terms, indeed and IN
phrases that often seem to deny their
own meaning, but with as much plain
ness as he thought prudent-that he
believed that peace should be based
upon the principles which We had de-
olared would be our own in the final
settlement. At Beest- -Litovsk her
civilian delegates spoke in similar
terbs, professed their desire to con-
Glude d fair peace and accord to the
peoples with whose fortunes they
were dealing the right to choose their
own alleglanCeg. But action aCOm-
panied and followed the profession.
Their military masters, the men who
act for Germany aud exhibit her pur-
pose in execution, proclaimed O very
different conclusion. We cannot mis-
take what they had done, in Russia, In
Finland. i'll the Ukraine, in Rumanla,
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 wbeh no
brave or gallant action 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 now here set up JUS
tice. but everywhere impose their
power, and exploit everything Tor Their
own use and ACKNOWLEDGMENT; and the
peoples OF conquered provinces are In
vitd TO be free under their own do
minion. Are we not justified lin be-
lieving that they would do the same
things at their western front IL they
were not there face to face with oui
armies. who even their countless di-
vfsions cannot overcome. If, wher
they have felt their check to be final
they should propose favorable ant
equitable terms with regard to Bel
! gium and France and Italy, could thel
blame us If we concluded that they
did so only to assure themselves OF
free hand In Russia and the east.
Their purpose is undoubtedly :
make all the Slavic peoples, all th'
free and ambitious nations OF The
Baltic peninsula. all the lands tina
CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO.