Page:The heart of Europe; an address delivered by Charles Pergler in Washington, December 11, 1916, at a conference of oppressed or dependent nationalities (IA heartofeuropeadd00pergrich).pdf/10

influence on the progress of civilization. As American citizens we consider the declaration of our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as the corner-stone of the structure of our democratic form of government. This principle applied to us as individuals we firmly believe to be fundamentally necessary when applied to nations. As a nation we have proved our belief in this principle by the declaration of Monroe’s Doctrine nearly a century ago as well as by our recent beliavior toward Cuba and by our present attitude toward Mexico. What we believe to be the truth for ourselves we believe to be the truth when applied to others. We believe in the right of every nation to life and to the freedom of self-development without interference by force from other nations, provided that such a freedom does not interfere with or violate the corresponding rights of other nations. The present great European war is a conflict between races on the one side espousing this liberal and democratic principle and races on the other side boastfully proclaiming that “might is right.” It is a struggle of races for the possession of the right to their individuality—their national soul—against races denying the weak nations the same right to live as the strong nations. Prussia’s history is a history of conquest, of Germanization, and of preparations for more conquest and Germanization. Even with a knowledge but not a full realization of these facts, the world generally, previous to this war, would have resented on behalf of the German race any insinuation that such crimes as have been committed by the Germans in this war could be claimed to be possible of perpe-