The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-20

1T IS UP TO AMERICA.

John ]. Mitchell. president of the
Illinois Trust and Savings bank. has
written an open letter on the war sit
uation, which is entitled to the careful
consideration of every patriotic Amer
lean. Under the caption, Crisis of
Crises" he writes in part as follows:
As a cold-blooded business and war
proposition, democracy can not COM
pete on equal terms with autocracy
II efficiency be the aim of govern
ment, then autocracy should prevail
In blood and iron it can get more out
of dollar, but if government exists
for the people, to secure their happi-
ness, liberties and opportunities with
only such restrictions and limitations
as the people assent to as necessary
for the general welfare. then popular
government alone meets these funda-
mental needs. Better liberty in a hut
than servitude in a palace
In the last analysis the issue in the
awful war now raging is. Shall de-
mocracy or autocracy rule the world 90
AS the matter stands today, with Rus
STA crumbling, with France bled to
the white, and with England approxi-
mating her maximum resistance, it Is
plainly up to the American people to
get into this conflict with every man
| and every dollar available and put 1t
| where it will do the most good and to
do it quickly.
An immediate need is a spiritual
renaissance, comprehension of the
| situation that besets us, a realization
that our national life, our cherished
| ideals. the priceless heritage of free
| dom and opportunity in the garden of
the world. aye. that civilization itself,
| is at stake in this mighty struggle
upon which we have entered. AS a
people we must have no interest or
| purpose in life that stands before the
| winning of this war and doing it as
| decistvely and as quickly as is posi-
BILE. We must not stop to count the
cost in men or money, nor in sacrifice
or service.
Germany is the most cruel, the most
resourceful and the most efficient gov
| eminent that ever existed. She is
holding today hundreds of thousands
of square miles of the territory of her
enemies, large part of which is the
very garden of Europe, and she has
millions of deported BeIgians and 9TH
err prisoners of war cultfvating for her
this vast area in addition to her own
soil. Germany is not yet beaten. She
| would like to have us think so-it is
no doubt, "a part of her plan, and to
defeat Germany may take months or
years, but do it we must or God help
US II the kaiser can crush France
before we get in, what hope will we
have?
II Germany should win. the Eng
fish fleet, which has been our protec-
ton for many years would pass to
Germany as a trophy of the war
Then the kaiser would rule the seas
Let US realize fully the dangers before
us and let US stand with our govern
ment and get ready and be ready for
whatever service becomes necessary in
this conflict.
| The president has been given (and
with popular approvaD more power
than was ever lodged with any mar
at any time by a free people. II
seemed necessary to do this if prompt
and efficient aid is to be given our
allies. The people will hold the pres
ident accountable for the use or abuse
of this power, but without centralizins
| authority we can not hope to win this
| war