The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-12-02

flict, and pray God that IL may not
but no one can tell. On August 4
1914, Sir Edward Grey stated thai
the relations between Germany anC
Great Britain were better than the,
had been in fifteen years, but jus,
four days later these two powerful
nations were in the death grapple OF
war. do not believe that we are
necessarily in any immediate dan
ger OF foreign attack, but that we
shall be attacked within the next
few years, have not the least doubt
Mars is high on his throne, the leav-
en- is at work, all the world is in
ferment, and no man knows what a
day may bring forth.
One hundred and thirty-six years
ago, Washington laid down the max
i'm that no nation can be trusted to
be peacable and friendly any further
than it is bound by its own self-in-
terests, and all history, before and
after, confirms his truism. Treaties
are but pieces Of paper" and en-
tentes and understandings count for
naught when they clash with the
greed and ambition OF nations. Thus
do the instincts Of primitive man
abide with us. This is not fancy, ii
is history.
Our position in the world is all
changed. We are no longer pro-
tected by a majestic isolation. Mans
genius, through steam and electric
ity, has destroyed all isolation. The
nations have moved up close togeth-
er and live in speaking distance. The
oceans now make war infinitely
more easy instead Of more difficult.
A half million soldiers can be
brought across the Atlantic in ten
days, and across the Pacific in thirty
days. The diplomatic, commercial,
and social relations Of the nations
are rapidly becoming more complex
and the points Of collision constantly
We, as a nation, are in
the whirl of this vortex, and from il
we cannot extricate ourselves. But
we can prepare to play the part Of
noble men and Of an exalted nation.
Let us now for a moment view our
TO some OF our more power
full neighbors.
German Empire
The German Empire, while pro-
friendly, does not in fact
ike us at all, and for several rea-
sons. In the first place. the German
nation has attained a degree OF cul-
lure and efficiency which it vainly
thinks not only entities it to the
mastery Of the world, but which
would justify il in imposing that
upon any and all people
Then she hates our
Monroe doctrine because, as she
says, il makes us virtual overlords
,ver all Central and South America,
'ne-half of the unexpected globe,
while she is compelled to remain
'oOped up within her narrow terri
orial limits, without a field for the
display Of her genius, or an outlet for
Ter surplus population. Nor does
he like either our commercial rival
y or our unrestricted trade in the
munitions OF war, which she, be-
anse Of her military misfortunes,
annct share equally with her enc ,
MES. II is a fact that a few years
go a member OF the German general
taft outlined a plan Of attack on the
IIited States by which 100000 Ger
nan soldiers, under the protection Of
powerful naval fleet, could be
anded on our shores within a peri
d of ten days, the cause assigned
Or the proposed attack being our
LEGGED infringement upon German
rights.
Japan, although we first intro
uced her to the family OF nations,
Odds and cherishes two fostering
rievances against us, one OF them
eing our taking of the Philippine
stands at her very gateway, and
learly within her sphere Of influ-
nee, and the other our refusal TO
Omit japanese immigrants TO our
lores on equal terms with immi-
rants from the most favored nations
the world, and it is now a matter
common knowledge that in the
ear 1907 she fitted out an expedi-
on against us, going so far as to
ad her troops upon her transports,
nd that she was dissuaded from
aking war upon us by the inter-
ention Of England, her new ally in
eace and war.
Not even with Great Britain have
g an assurance Of continuing
eace. Though we are blood Of their
God, and have lived with them in s
ace for a hundred years, neverthe- {
IS. the English. with all their adj