REPORTS AND RESOLUTIONS                    15

lieve, however, that the cessation of this strife is still al-
together uncertain. After fighting so long against fearful
odds with a desperation and valor heretofore unknown in
belligerent art and practice-after making the costliest
sacrifices in blood and treasure to withstand the infamy
of the real object of this war, the question is, can an armis-
tice be effected by diplomatic means--a cessation of hostili-
ties that will assure the future peace of the world?
  From all that we have understood we believe not; we be-
lieve that America and her Allies, holding now a battle line
against a foe who for awhile seemed to be almost invin-
cible, are not ready to have written on their statute scroll
that which would mean defeat before they are defeated.
We believe that however gentle the periphrasis which
could be written to justify such a peace, it could only be
the sign-manual of craven surrender to the military despot-
ism of the Hohenzollern name, as it is, backed and fostered
by Prussian might, and that the voice of the blood of our
slaughtered patriots, in hollow murmur, from the flood and
woods of gory Marne, from Picardy's war graves, and from
Atlantic's unfathomed depths-the blood of the fallen
heores of the nations, male and female, blending with
widows' tears and the orphans' wail would resound in
scathing rebuke.
  But, in conclusion, we believe more than this--we believe
that the divine providence of the God of all creation, whose
designs of retribution have been so apparent in the history of
our country, and so wonderfully manifested to the nations
of Europe through all this struggle, would never permit so
deplorable an issue.
                         D. P. ROBERTS, Chairman.
                         W. H. JOHNSON.
                         C. H. SHEEN, Secretary.
                                             Committee.




			

OHS/National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center Pamphlet Collection

Ohio Annual Conference, Reports and Resolutions Adopted