2S 



It is neither my desire nor my intention 

 to pose as an alarmist. A country that has 

 done so much to carry into the "far places 

 of the world" the message of democracy, 

 that has been the haven of so many seeking 

 personal freedom and opportunity, and that 

 has proven so conclusively the blessed pos- 

 sibilities of a republican system of govern- 

 ment, surely ought to be safe against the 

 encroachment of autocracy and tyranny. 

 But conditions have arisen, forces of cupid- 

 ity, malice and hate have appeared, and a 

 spirit of barbarism and ruthless cruelty has 

 been exposed to a degree that civilized 

 people never dreamed of as existent in the 

 world today. These baneful forces are not 

 only now focussed on America, but there 

 is an abundance of evidence to prove that 

 they have long been seeking an opportunity 

 to do it all the harm they could. 



Never, therefore, was our country, and all 

 that makes it dear, so terribly menaced as it 

 is today. Failure on the part of the nation 

 to use its utmost strength — not to crush the 

 German people nor to add to their suffering 

 and distress more than the exigencies of 

 war entail, but to defend our institutions, 

 our homes, and our altars — means, sooner 

 or later, the "rape" of our country. We 

 have witnessed the criminal assault of Bel- 

 gium, Serbia. Poland. Roumania and 

 France. Our hearts have bled and our 



