Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-04-08

We can not mistake what they have
donein Russia, in FINLAND, 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 cheap triumph IN
which no brave or gallant nation can long
take pride. A great people, helpless by
their own act, hes for the time at their
mercy. Their fair professions are forgot
ten. They nowhere set mp justice, by
everywh ~ impose their power ana
exploit everything for their own use ana
! aggrandizement. and the peoples OF CON
Quered provinces are invited To pe irce
under their dominion!
CAUTION OF PEACE rRorfERs-
"Arc we not justified in believing
that they would do the same thing. mt
their western front If they were not there
| face 10 face with armies whom even their
countless divisions can not overcome
| II when they have felt their check to be
final they should propose favorable and
| equitable terms with regard to Belgium
| and France and Italy, could they blamc
us if we concluded that they did SO only
| to assure themselves OF free hand IN
Russia and the cast?
Their purpose is undoubtedly to
| make all the Slavic peoples, all the Tree
| and ambitious nations of the baltic
Peninsula. all the lands that Turkey has
dominated and misruled, subject to their
will and ambition and build upon that
dominion an empire of force upon which
| they fancy that they can then erect an
empire of gain and commercial supremacy
an empire as hostile to the Americas
as to the Europe which IT viii ovcrawc
a II. Al IT, y,l. frr
Persia, India and the peoples ot the TAR
east
In such program our ideals, tho ideals
of Justice and humanity and liberty the
| principle of the free self determination OF
nations upon which all the modern world
| insists, can play no part. They are re-
| jected for the ideals OF power, Tor the
/ principle that the strong must rule the
weak, that trade must follow the flag,
whether those 10 whom II is taken welcome
| IL or not, that the peoples OF the world are
| 10 bc made subject tn the patronage and
ovorlordship of those who have the power
10 enforce IT
WOULD SHUT MERCY 3 GATES on MANkiNp,
| That program once earned out, Amori-
| en- and nil who care or dare To stand
| with her must arm and prepare themselves
| To contest the mastery Oi the world, a
| mastery in which the rights oi common
! men, the rights of women and of all who
| are weak must for the time being be
| troddon under foot and dlsrcgardcd, and
| the old agc-long struggle for freedom
! and right begin again at ltS beginning.
| Everything that America has hvcd for
| and loved and grown great tn vndlcate
| and bring to n glorious realization Will
| have fallon in utter rum and the gates
| Of mercy once moro plteousiy shut upon
| mankind!
READY TO DISCJ - \ FAlR PEACE.
/ Tho thing is prcpostorous and inn
/ possible And vet Is not that what
/ tho whole course and action OF the
| German armies has meant wherever
/ thew have moved" | do not Wish even
/ IN this moment of dlsillusionment. 10
| nudge harshly or unnghteously | Judge
| only what the German arms have ac-
| complishcd with Implying thoroughncss
/ throughout every fair region they have
/ touched
/ What. then, arc We to do? For
| myself. am ready. ready still, ready
! even now. 10 discuss fair, and Just
! and honest peace at any time It IS SIN
/ corclv p,irrosed a peace in which tho
st ong and the weak shall fare alike. But
til answer, when proposed such a
re ace. came from the German COM
1 nanders in Russia. and | cannot ms
| take the meaning of the answer
L. :. ACCEPTS THE CHALLENGE.
Il accept the challenge. know
that YOU accept it MI the world shall
know that vou accept il II shall APP
/ pear in the utter sacrifice and seli-forget-
| IllnrSs with which we shall give all that
We love and all that We have TO redeem
/ tho world and make il fit for free men like
! ourselves TO 1--we in This now Is the
| meaning of all thst We do Let every
/ thing that VIC SAY. my fellow countrymcn.
! everything that We hcncoiorth plan and
/ accomplish. ring true 10 tins response
! till the majesty and might OF our concerted
/ powcr shall fill the thought and utterly
| defeat the force OF those who fiount and
/ nisprize what We honor and hold dear,
/ GERMANY has once more said that
/ force. and force alone, shall decide
! whether justice and peace shall reign
/ in the affairs oi men. whether right as
/ America conceives il or dominion as she
/ conccivcs il shall determine the destlmes
| Of mankind There Il, therefore, but one
/ response possible from US: Force, force
/ TO the utmost. force without STINT or
! limit. the righteous and triumphant force
which shall make right the Law OF the
/ world and cast every selfish DOMINION
! down in the dust