The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1914-08-07
Entangling Alliances

while armies are being modified
and millions of men are ready to
fly at each others Threats and while
the cabinets of the several world
powers are making a last desperate
attempt to stave off the destruction
of hundreds Of thousands of lives
and billions in property, we mere
in the United States can sit back,
not unconcerned, of course, with a
certain qualification in contemplat.
ing our remoteness from the scene
of conflict.
There is, however, another source
OF qualification for the Americans,
and that is our avoidance of zen.
/ taDgHng alliances, offensive or de-
/ fensive, with the powers of Europe.
And for this circumstance we must
once again look back with thanks
to the Father of our Country, whose
farewell words admonished US
against such pacts with foreign ma
lions. In his farewell address Geo
rye Washington said: Excessive
partialitv for one foreign nation and
excessive dislike for another cause
those whom they actuate to see dam
ger only on one side and serve to
veil and even second the arts of in
fupnce on the other.
The great rule of conduct for us
in regard to foreign nations is, in
extending our commercial relations,
to have with them as little political
connection as possible. So far as
we have already formed engagements
let them be fulfilled with perfect
good faith Here let us stop
1t is due to the advice given us by
the first president of our country and
in a great measure also to our terri |
torial isolation that we are today |
contemplating calmly the tmbroil-
ment in Europe and engaging in
peaceful pursuits while that CONT
nent is in a state of ferment.
Were il not for alliances the pre-,
sent military activity would be con-
fin. ID to Austria and Servia alone.
b cause Of them Germany and Italy
are drawn into the conflict on one
side and with Austria, while Russia
England and France are drawn into
it on the other. The fruits of VIC
tory at best, will be insignificant
to the cost. Territorial
lggrandizement, if there is any at
all, will be very small. Political
1enominance is the desire of Austria
md Russia, while victory for the
other participants will be an empty
me. Meanwhile 100000 men,
he flower of European manhood,
Will not alone be unproductive, but .
will be engaged in destructive pur-
uits, and the daily expense for
heir maintenance will reach into
he millions The cost of the war
will therefore drain Europe of bill
ons, while the effects will be felt 1
or generations to come. And all G
)ut two of the nations that are fly.
ny at each others Threats have lit /
lie or no feeling in the matter. Of
ensive and defensive treaties have S
lrawn them into the conflict. v
1t is therefore with a feeling of I
gratitude that we in America see
ourselves territorially isolated from .
his maelstrom of strife. The event
n Europe to day will lead us to a "
deeper appreciation of the wisdom
If our forefathers. particularly of q
lim who liberated us from domi-
lance by foreign nation and ad- v
nonished us to avoid entangling al t
iances. {
1t lies with the newspaper pub
ishers of this county to foster this U
ointment of gratitude and be ever G.
N the alert to warn the people of n
be dangers that confront them
through such pacts. While our
ympathies are with the millions "
Who will suffer during and after the '
reat conflict let us all attend strict
Y to our own business through it g
II. 1t will keep us en- the jump
Or some time to come.