The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1920-09-08

The President first replied as
thought somewhat evasiyely, that we
would be our own judges as to wheth-
er we were obliged in those circum-
stances to act in that way or not.
Pressed further, however, in response
to query Incorporating the assump-
ton that the case provided for and
prescribed had arisen and that the
extraneous attack did exist precisely
President admitted specifically that we
would be untrue if we did not keep our
word
Replying further to a question
which perhaps / ought not to have
considered necessary, the President
pronounced a moral obligation of
course, superior to legal obligation
and of "a greater binding force.
what, then, becomes of the argu-
ment that Congress, not the President,
in this instance at any rate, might
keep us out of war;? Technically, of
course, it could do So Morally, with
equal certainty, it could not do SO nor
would it ever do So The American
people would never permit a repudia-
ton Of debt of honor.
Am l not right, my countrymen,
in saying that we needed only the
outbreak of war between Poland and
Russia to make us realize at least
one of the things which, in the words
of Secretary Lansing, we would have
been let in for but for the restrain
ing hand of the senate, and to fetch
home to US the danger Of commit
ting our country in advance to causes
that we know not Of?
Not Our Purpose.
zone can have no quarrel with those
who have convinced themselves that
our underlying purpose in entering the
great conflict was to create league
of nations The fact remains, how
ever, that no such intent was officially
acclaimed, no allusion, nor even sug-
gestion to that effect appeared in the
joint resolution of Congress which de-
cared the existence of state of war
between this country and Germany.
For myself l left no room for doubt
of the motives which led me to cast
my vote in favor of that resolution.
1t so happened that l made the con-
Guiding speech upon the war resolu-
ton, from my place in the senate, on
the night of April 4, 1917. These were
my own words at that time:
az want it known to the people of
my state and to the nation that | am
voting for war tonight for the main
tenance of just American rights, which
is the first essential to the preServa-
ton of the soul of this republic.
"I vote for this joint resolution to
make war, not a war thrust upon US,
if l could choose the language of the
resolution, but war declared in re-
spouse to affrontS; a war that will
at least put a soul into our American
allies of Europe war not for France,
beautiful as the sentiment may be in
reviving at least our gratitude to the
French people; not precisely war for
civilization, worthy and inspiring as
that would be; but war that speaks
for the majesty of people properly
governed, who finally are brought to
the crucial test where they are re- |
solved to get together and wage a con- |
fict for the maintenance of their |
rights and the preservation Of the !
covenant inherited from their fathers. !
"We have given to the world the !
spectacle Of q great nation that could !
To S.I
unsheathed the sword some eighteen !
years ago for the first time in the his |
tory of the world, in the name OF hui |
manity, and we gave proof to the !
world at that time Of an unselfish ma !
ton. Now, whether it is the fate, or
fortune, or travail Of destiny, it has
come to us to unsheathe the sword |
again. not alone for humanity's sake /
through that splendid inspiration will /
be invOlved-but to unSheathe the
sword against a great power in the
of the rights of the re-
public, in the maintenance which will
give to US a new guaranty of nation
Atty. That's the great thing, and /
want it known, Mr. President and SEN
itors, that this is the impelling thought
With me for one, when I cast my vote
For Same Guaranty Today.
ut is for that same guaranty of ma
ionality' that l stand today, and shall
continue to stand inflexibly, so long
Is 1 shall be permitted to live The
of our great republic is
o me priceless and sacred inheri-
ance. Time was when an American
lid not hesitate to proclaim himself a
,atriot. To do so now, | am well
ware, is sometimes to Invite the
neers Of cynicism. But why should
my true American not be free to say:
am patriot, wholly evoted to my
ountry, which l hold to be Gods best
Inspiration to man for higher attain
nent and the promotion of the worlds
est civiliZationT
But I have special reason for
making this reference today. l chal-
enge the statement that the patriot
SIN which holds America first COM