The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1914-09-11

What does it matter now who be-
gan the thing-which was most to
blame? Here it is, and we have to
deal with it. But we English assert
that it is the government of the Ger
man Emperor which, for the asst 40
years, has taken the lead and forced
the pace in these matters, which has
driven us English to add warship to
warShip in pitiless competition to re-
tain that predominance at sea upon
which our existence as a free people
depends and which has strained the
strength OF France almost beyond the
pitch OF human endurance, so that the
education and welfare of her people
have suffered greatly, and so that
Paris today is visibly an impoverished
and over-taxed city.
And this perpetual fear of the arm
ed strength of German has forced up
on France alliances and entangle-
ments which she would otherwise
have avoided Let us not attempt to
deny the greatness of Germany and
Germany's contributions to science,
art and literature and all that is good
in human life But evil influences do
overshadow the finest people, and our
case is that, since the victories of 1871
Germany has been obessed by the
worship of material and power and
glory; scornful of righteousness, she
has been threatening and overbearing
to all the world.
Now that this war is begun we have
resolved to put an end to militarism
in the world for evermore. We are
not lighting Germany; it is the firm
resolve of England to permit no more
fresh conquered provinces to darken
the future Of Europe. Whatever be-
tide, all Germany will come come out
of this war undivided Germany still
Her own conquests she may have to
relinquish, her Poles and other sub
ject peoples, but that is the utmost
we shall exact. With the accession OF
Austria, Germany may even come out
Of this war larger Germany than at
the beginning of it.
We have no hatred of things Ger
man and of the German people. But
we are fighting to break this huge
fighting machine forever, which has
been am oppression, such as no native
! born American can dream of, to every
other nation Of Europe.
We do not ask you for military
help. Keep the peace, which it is
your unparalleled good fortune to en-,
JOY so securely. But keep it fairly.
The position Of Holland is a very
peculiar one in this war. The Rhine
runs along the rear of the long Ger
man line as if it were a canal to serve
that line with supplies; then it passes
into Holland and so, by way of Rot
terdam, to the sea.
In your harbors lie great number
Of big German ships that dare no
enture to sea because of our fleet. |
is proposed, we are told, to arrange
purchase of these ships by American
citizens, to facilitate by special legis
lation their transfer to your flag, anC
then to load them with food and wa
material and send them across TIL
Atlantic through the narrow sea
that, at the price of a cruiser AM
many men, we have painfully cleared
of German contact mines, to get wa
prices in Rotterdam and supply on
enemies.
1t is, we confess, smart thing t
to do. 1t will give your people no
only huge immediate profits but ais
mercantile marine at one coup.
But it will certainly prolong tn
war, and so will mean the killing an
wounding of scores of thousands c
young Germans, Englishmen, French
men and Belgians who might other
wise have escaped 1t is entirel
within your legal rights, and we wi
tell you frankly now, we shall refus
to quarrel with you about it, but W
ask you not to be toe easily offende
if we betray certain lack of enthl
siasm for this idea.
And, beyond such enterprises ;
l this, what are you giong to do fe
r mankind and the ultimate peace of tt
!, world? You know the Car has r
/ stored the freedom of Finland ar
: has promised to re-unite the tol
t Fragments of Poland into a fir