Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1916-03-02
IRONTON MO. THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 1916 NUMBER 80.

herman people really rule Germany,
when its government becomes an in
strum ent in the hands of its people
which they may use at win; when it
exists tor the people, and not the
people for the Government, then the
affairs of Germany will cease to be
an object of concern to its neighbors.
Many of our German fellow citizens
wonder why we have no animosity
toward England. The reason is plain:
Wherever the English flag has foated
self-government has taken root and
fourished. Men are as free in Canadians
they are i'll the United States. Austria
liza, New Zealand and South Africa are
practically self-governing countries.
Germany expected help from Ire
land and South Africa, but she was
mistaken. They each possessed a
greater amount of political freedom
as a part of the British Empire than
they could hope for as Provinces of
the German Empire.
The average American holds Ger
many responsible for the present
agitation for preparedness.
He is for preparedness against prob |
able energies, bat he cannot tell
how much of the present agitation
is false alarm and how much Of
solid foundation there is for it. He
has been around at election time for a
good many years and knows dollar
when he sees it coming up the road,
and he knows that dollar is hunting
other dollars. He don't want to en-
barrass the administration, but he
wants to know.
If Germany wins, it means, in all
probability, continuation of the
present autocracy and ultimate war,
for which we must get ready and
thoroughly ready. If Germany loses
or the autocracy is overthrow we
need not bother about military mat
ters. live have to prepare for war
we don't want it to result in military
caste and we are not going to permit
it,
Back of all this there is an uneasi-
ness in the mind of every thinking
man as to what will be the effect of
this war on mankind. 1t will not leave
the world as it found it. Europe will
go into the hands of a receiver. The
nations will either repudiate their
debts fatty, cease paying interest and
devote their energies to discharging
the principal or organize their in
! dustries so as to absorb the profits
which now go to individuals All
money standards may be remodeled.
How will this affect the United
States? No one knows.
In any event, the soldier of industry
looms up who must be organized into
a great industrial army because the
State must have his services as a
working man in time of peace just as
it must have his services as a soldie-
in time Of war in order that the obliga-
tions of the war may be met. These
things are not pleasant to contemplate,
but we must begin to think about
them.
Just another word to our German
neighbors and friends. This letter
was not written for the official Ger
man in the United States, but to the
German who lives next door. We
know how you feel about friends and
, relatives back in the old country, but
is it not fact that you came to this
, country to escape oppression, to get
J from under the hand of the military
autocracy? We welcomed you with
open arms because of your lessons of
J thrift, economy and system that we
needed. You made two grains of
} wheat grow where one grew before.
, The rocks and rubbish disappear from
! your acres and crops appear at harvest
, time. Your children intermarry with
our children, and the result is a
} strong, sturdy, clean, outstanding
generation.
, You are good neighbors and ex-
/ cellent friends, but we want you to be
J Americans first.
! To state my own views frankly l
/; don't think the United States has been
: entirely neutral in this war. l believe
J that Germany's warning to citizens of
) the United States to keep off English
ships should have been needed, be-
, cause an English ship is bit of
English territory afioat, subject to
English law, and when a citizen Of
: the United States goes aboard of one
of these ships he must take his chances
the same as If he enters beseiged
, town.
: know there is treaty with Prussia
100 years old covering this matter,
but that treaty did not take into con-
| sideration modern conditions of war
fare. believe the loan Of $500 900, 900
to the Allies Is in the nature Of a
: guaranty on orr part that they shall
win the war, For If Germany wins
this money will be,lost. 1t is another
cord binding us to the Allies. But
} these things are backed by public
: sentiment because Of the belief that
J il Berlin dominates Paris and London
we will have to fight to maintain our
own form OF government.
II German voters should unite
} against Wilson it would insure his re :