The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1916-04-06
A NEW ERA.

On July 81, 1914, when the nations
Of Europe first began to throw them
selves at each others Threats, c'm.
menceJ n new era for the United
States. Resting securely 5000 miles
away from the nearest gun shJi, nur
people smiled and said, "Iet them
fight it out, but it will not AFFECT w.
We are self.supporting we are not de-
pendent on them for anything; !. will
not affect US" But with the coming
Of the European war there passc1
away the old order, and new order
sprang into being, with throos so ter
rible that th"y can be head amidst
the din Of battle on the other side.
What IS This wonderful transforma-
ton that has come to the American
republic? Outing all tn 40 years II
our existence ne have teen pre-. 'ni
nently a self-centered nation. Not
many years after the birth Of our ma.
ton we laid down the law to Europe
that said we are on this side Of the
water, away from the alliances and
ententcs, star chamber proceedings, Of
international marriages, Of policies
such as those Of Pitt, Of Napoleon,
Bismarck, and from the time that this
world renowned Monroe doctrine was
promulgated until the present time,
we have almost literally stayed on
this side of the Atlantic and Europe
on hers, except for occasional sallies
TO right wrongs. When President
Monroe said that the United States
would not enter into any entangling
alliances with Euroepan states, nor
NEEDLE In their affairs, and that we,
the United States, would consider any
attempt on the part Of an European
state to gain dominion in America an
unfriendly act, he laid down policy
that has been strictly adhered TO, and
which has formed one of the most
important and influential chapters In
the history OF international law, by
which all the nations OF the world
have shaped their policies, and while
the elements preparing us for the
change have been gradually gathering
force for nearly half century, with
Increased impetus from year to year,
the signal for the charge came with
the first gun shot in Europe. The
time has come when American people
must think internationally. While we
have had foreign relations in the past
it has been the work and thought, not
Of the American people, but Of the
president. the department of state,
and Of congress. Now the masses are
beginning to see that we are a part
Of a mere nut in the larger wheel, the !
world. Steam, electricity, the develop |
nent Of the conquest Of the air, the
enlargement OF the sphere Of finance, |
all have brought the people Of the
United States into closer relations
with the European countries, so that
no longer can we live a people unto
ourselves, no matter how much we
may desire II. what have we to do
with the war? Ask the cotton grower,
the banker, the manufacturer, the la
horer, they will all tell you. As man
is a social creature, so are nations.
As the hermit who lives alone in the
solitude Of his wilderness home is dug
out by the coming OF civilization, and
forced to live with others, 50 the
United States. by progress OF the
world. Is forced to realize that il can
not live unto itself.
We are not asked 10 give up our
old ideas Of democracy for the new
idea, nor to depart from any principle
OF our government, but merely TO ac-
in a measure, that I'VE are
our brothers keeper"