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Show WOULD DESTROY Hill) HUTMSM Vigilantes Issue Appeal for Firm Action Against . Autocracy. . NEW YORK, ept. 20. The Vigilantes, an organization composed, of many of the most prominent authors In the country, issued an appeal tonight to editors, writers and citizens to mobilize public opinion in favor of an authoritative statement state-ment that the war aim of the United States is the extinction of the militaristic autocracy of Germany. "We believe that the war aim of the American people, distinguished from peace terms," said the appeal, "is to procure the safety of civilization by destroying ; the militaristic autocracy of Germany. "We recognize thai this war aim calls for a longer and harder war than a program pro-gram proposing merely a peace dictated lo the. imperial German government after the achievement of a military victory. We believe, however, that the opinion of the American people is almost unanimous that the signatures of German autocracy on a peace treaty, regardless of the pence j terms which we could dictate, would make j a worthless document. "To make any peace with tho present government of Germany would be to give that systematic Intriguer a space of time to prepare new depredations upon mankind man-kind and to plungo the world into other wara. "It would be to betray the hope of the democratization of Germany by shaking hands with the autocratic oppressors, corrupters cor-rupters and deiuders of tho German people. peo-ple. ' "It would he to buy our way out of the war at a cost to our children of new wars and new Intrigues. "We believe that the war aim of the American people, distinguished from the mere forcing of concessions from German autocracy, is the extinction of that autocracy autoc-racy which has threatened and will continue con-tinue to threaten to the end of its existence, ex-istence, our civilization and our peace. "We believe that this war aim, not yet expressed with authority, requires authoritative au-thoritative statement by our nation." - The membership of tho Vigilantes includes in-cludes Lyman Abbott, Gertrude Atheiion, Irving B'acheller, Cyrus Townsond Brady, Porter Emerson Browne, Bliss Carman, Richard Washburn Child, Edna Ferber, Hamlin Garland. Regimikt Wright Kaulf-man, Kaulf-man, Agnes Reppher, Harrison Rhodes, William English Walling and Kate Douglas Doug-las Wig-gin. |