The Robesonian., 1918-04-11

her civilian delegatesl
spoke in similar terms, professed their
desire to conclude a fair peace and
accord to the peoples with whose for
tunes they were dealing the right to
choose their own allegiances. But ac-
tion accompanied and followed the
procession. Their military masters,
the men who act for Germany and ex-
hibit her purposes in erecution, pre-
claimed very different conclusion.
We can not mistake what they have
done-in Russia, in England, in the
Ukraine, in Rumania. 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 which no brave or |
gallant nation 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 nowhere set up justice, but
everywhere impose their power and
exploit everything for their own use
and aggrandizement; and the peoples
of conquered provinces are invited to
be free under their domination.
care we not justified in believing
/ that they would do the same things
l at their western front if they were
not there face to face with armies
whom even their countless divisions
cannot overcome? If, when they have
felt their check to be, final, they
should propose favorable and eqult-
!! able terms with regard to Belgium
and France and Italy. could they
/ L Ind 20 fhoU
did so only to assure themselves OF
| a free hand in Russia and the East?"
"Their purpose is undoubtedly to
make all the Slavic peoples, all the
free and ambitious nations of the Bal
tic peninsula, all the lands that Tur-
KEY has dominated and misruled, sub.
iect to their will and ambition and
i build upon that dominion an empire
of force upon which they fancy that
i they can erect an empire OF gain and
commercial supremacy-an empire as
hostile to the Americas as to Europe
which it will overaWe-an empire
which will ultimately master Persia
/ India, and the peoples of the Far
East.
| ssIn such a program our ideals, the
ideals of justice and humanity and
Il liberty, the principle of the free self
determination of nations upon which
all the modern world insists, can play
no part. They are rejected for the
! ideals of power, for the principles
;, that the strong must rule the weak
that trade must follow the flag
! whether those to whom it is taker
! welcome it or not, that the peoples
al Of the world are to be made subject K
e the patronage and over lordshlp O
81 those who have the power to en1orc'
it. ou,
{ e"The program once carried out
(! America and all who care or dare
d stand with her must arm and prepar
k themselves to contest the mastery o
: the world. a mastery IN when tn
rights of common men, the rights Q
81 women and of all who are weak, mus
e for the time being be trodden unoe
itl foot and disregarded, and the old, age
le long struggle for freedom and rlgl
le begin again at it's beginning. EVerS
le thing that America has lived for an
y loved and grown great TO vinolca;;
s and bring to glorious reallzatlon WI
I'd have fallen in utter ruin ana tne gay
IN of mercy once more pltllessly sn'
II upon mankind: .nd ;r
"The thing is preposterous ana ~
M possible; and yet is not tnat WI, =
mel the whole course and action OF u
rel German armies has meant where ev
We they have moved? DO not WI WI
nd even in this moment Of utter dlsslll
n sionment, to judge harshly or u
to righteously. I judge only Wnat =; :
ith German arms have accomplished w
lid nnnitving thoroughness througno
MS, every fair region they have touc41 4
en- "What, then, are we to 40! 40, :
,ut myself, l am ready, ready stu, Iea q
hit even now, to discuss a fair ana y
ace and honest peace at any time tnac
les is sincerely purposed-a peace
,ur which the strong and the Weak a, 81
At fare alike. But the answer, Wne.
- proposed such peace, came from
the German commanders IN RUSSIA, an
cannot mistake the meaning oi
Na answer. =
,e," q accept the challenge. know { |;
elp Won accept it. All the world 81
en- know that you accept 1t. ~
less eve shall appear in the utter
$ is rifice and self-forgetfulness =
,er- which we shall give IL that we
the and ell that we nave to reoeenl
and world and make it fit Tor !ree
the like ourselves to live in. ms nov
ring the meaning of all that we 40.
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