Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 77, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 December 1917 — INDIANA EDITORS CONFER ON WAR [ARTICLE]

INDIANA EDITORS CONFER ON WAR

**• «r* • MEET AS PART OF STATE CONFERENCE GETTING TOGETHER IDEAS FOR LARGE TASK THAT LIES AHEAD. ALL STRIVING TO ONE END •' ■ ■. " ....' •. . ' ’ ■•'J; •' ■ ■ To Win Peace With Victory In the Shortest Possible Time and the Least Loss of Life —Talk Ey Will H. Hays. _

By Willis S. Thompson.

Indianapolis, Dec. 17.—One of the important meetings of the Indiana war conference was that of the editors of the state. With these men it was a get together of ideas and purposes in the part to be played in the winning of the war. George Creel was to have been the principal speaker, but belated trains failed to bring him. George Ade presided at the editorial luncheon in the Riley room at the Claypool, There were a number of speeches, all promising closest co-operation in the war work. Will H. Hays, chairman of the State Council of Defense, and closest man to the work which has been and is being done, made the chief talk, and what he said on this occasion, speaking to the people of Indiana through the 250 editors who were present, tells best the object of that part of the state war conference. In part Mr. Hays said: A battle is won in the heart of the soldier, in tlie last analysis. Just so tin' support in this war, to which the President, the Governor, and, the authorities are entitled, will only come when there is iu the hearts of the people—first in their minds and understanding, and then in their hearts, an appreciation and a loyalty that tlie cause warrants. And the one most effective avenue through which that can he conveyed, the instrument above all others, to create that knowledge, first, and appreciation. second, is the press of the country. That is the truth. • Now. it is a far cry, my friends, from this benutiful occasion to a discussion of how host men Can bayonet their fellow men: yet that is Just exactly what we have got to do, just exactly the business we are, everyone of us, engaged in. Some things are necessary at home. Ts we are going to win this war abroad, there must be absolute pence at home. Now. I do not mean that searching, sympathetic suggestions are not desired. They are; and they are wanted at Washington. But I do mean that there must be that peace which shows to the world that there is in this country the one purpose, to which all others are subordinated, and that is to win the war. There must he such political peace In this country as will forever prohibit, absolutely, the question as to whether or not a man is supporting the war, or whether his loyalty is right, entering into, any consideration of any political activity, whatsoever. There is but one side to that question, and on that side, in the fullest support of the war as it is being run, must stand every political party, and every Individual of any political party that is entitled to any consideration, whatsoever. The ctiief executive of tlie United States, President Woodrow Wilson, is carrying in Washington burdens that have been borne by no man since Abraham Lincoln; and yet he is bearing them with that vision and heart that entitles him to the prayers and help of everybody. The chief executive of this state lay at death’s door for two months, brought there by work that I know was necessitated in striving to make this state live up to the traditions of Indiana, in this wan No man can say to me that he dare not do his full duty in giving to President Wilson, and to Governor Goodrich, as the heads of those departments that they represent in this crisis, the fullest support that is in him. and in everyone of us today. And upon that platform I stand, my friends, and I burn every bridge, personal, political, financial, professional, and everything else, and all I ask is that every one of you do the same thing. Remember, you, and you, and you, that this great temple of lawful liberty, that we call “our country,” was bullded by God Almighty, and well may we worship it, when we think of the cost, the sacrifice, the bleeding, the heart throbs, the anguish, and the dying that it took to keep and preserve it. When we think of. nil that It stands for, Its glorious past, its magnificent present arid its sublime future, we must be stirred to the depths of out very souls, and moved with an unalterable determination to keep it where our forefathers, with God’s help, placed it. What are we fighting for? it is neither' consistent nor proper, at this moment, to discuss the issues or the causes for the war. God knows they are multitudinous and eternally right, and that the whole future of humanity rests on the outcome. I tell you, tlie mission of America is about to lie atcompished. That is what Is in tills war. I have said that some time —and 1 believe it—that some time, in tlie mind of the Almighty it was conceived that this government, established by heroic spirit, visioned and executed, should.grow, should save itself, then grow again, based on the absolute equality of Individuals, on the full freedom of men, and then go out and save the world. Now tlie great purposes that brought together the Continental Congress are about fully to function. And now. at a time when all Kurppe Is In an unprecedented conflict, and they are drunk with blood, to this country, With its pure purpose, it is left as the only instrument that can now go into that bloody, seething hell, and rescue the future of mankind. Now, if it does this —and this country will do this—then, my friends, the mission of America will have been-aecom-plished for ail eternity. i wish I could tell you how we get to feeling" about this thing when we work at it twenty-four hours a day. We lie awake nights, because the situation is—and I am quite serious—because the situation is as serious as it well can be. I appeal to you to watch what goes on, with the scrutiny of a binocular —watch what goes on in the State Council of Defense. If there is anything going on therp that is not entirely, and thoroughly, and conscientiously, and whole-heartedly supporting every ting that the President of the United States asks to be done in this war, cry out against it, condemn it, hang it up, because it is traiteroms. But when you hear of things being done that are in, support of the efforts of the government to win the war, then support them to the fullest. . You of the second line of defense, help as von have been helping, strive as you have never striven before: go home, and go to this as the most Important business any of you can be engaged in, and -when this great power of America once starts, ten thousand times ten thousand thousand Germans can not stop It!