Even as the Nation entered the
war for an ideal, j so it has emerged
from the war with the determination
that the ideal shall not die. It is
idle to pretend that the War Declara
tion of April 6th, 1917. was a mere
act of self-defense, or that the object
of our participation was solely to de
feat the military power of the Cen
tral Nations of Europe. We knew
them as a Nation, even as wre know
today, that success on land and sea
could be but half a victory. The
cither half is not won yet. To the
cry of the French at Verdun: "They
shall not pass":the cheer of-our own
men in the Argonne: "They shall go
through" we must add this, "It shall
not occur again." This is the posi
tive declaration of our wills; that the
world shall be saved from a repeti
tion of this crime. To this end the
democratic party offers a Treaty of
Peace, which, to make it a real treaty
for a real peace must include a
League of Nations; because this
peace treaty, if our best and bravest
are not to have died in vain, must
be no thinly disguised armistice de
vised by cynical statesmen to mask
their preparations for a renewal of
greed-inspired conquests later on.
"Peace" must mean peace that will
last. A practical, workable, perma
nent, enforcible kind of a peace that
will hold as tightly as the business
contracts of the individual. We
must indeed be. above all things,
business like and practical in this
peace treaty making business of ours.
