Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-10-07
NorthCliffe Takes Issue With Wilson;
Tells What America Is Fighting for


tho economic oppression OF Ger
many" How could Britain oppress
any nation economically so long as
she allowed the traders OF all nations
10 compete with her own traders
upon equal terms?
L The peoples of the British en-
pire did not want war. They had
nothing to gain from war; They
were threatened They were attacked.
Whether Prussia had invaded Bel
gium or not. Britain would have been
obliged to fight In self-defense. II
was not Brussels that the Germans
wanted when 'forstrategic reasons
they marched their troops across the
Kelgian frontier. which they had
signed a solemn contract TO respect.
They wanted Antwerp, which Ma
poleon called, with clear sighted un-
derstanding. pistol pointed at the
heart Of England They wanted an
outlet for their ocean going subma-
rines. They wanted Calais.
The delusion induytriously sown
in the United States by Germans and
those who are in favor of Prussianism.
l am sorry TO say, many Irishmen,
that Britain always fights for com
mercial advantages has long been a
Prussian SANDER. Treitschke. the
writer on whose teaching Kaiser Will
lam III was nurtured, taught that
England's wars were always under
taken with a view to the conquest OF
markets. He did not explain why
England should take so much trouble
10 conquer markets, seeing that she
gave the whole world, including Ger
many the benefit of access 10 them.
He 1t was who developed the no
ton that state is something apart
from the citizens who compose It and
that IL lives according 10 It's own
laws In other words, acts which
would be criminal or brutal II per-
formed by individuals may be per-
formed by the state without blame.
Now, II we keep in mind that a state
is nothing more than a collection OF
individuals, we might apply the
Treitschke argument with equal force
10 the act OF the trusts against which
tho American nation struggled so
hard a few years ago and which IL
finally overcame. These trusts were
likewise collections OF individuals.
They might have pleaded. sometimes
the plea was put forward in their
favor. that their illegalities could not
be Illegal because they were trusts
The plain truth is that iany act which
is blameworthy in an individual Is no
less blameworthy when IL is COM
mitted by a collection OF individuals,
whether they call themselves a state
or a trust or burglars club
An Outlaw Nation.
This is what we have got TO make
Prussia admit and practice. Until she
does so, she is as much outside the
comfy OF nations as man who robs
and murders is outside the pale Of
human society.
For this cause American armies are
being sent TO France. That is where |
the enemy of the worlds peace must
be brought to book. Mayor Thompson |
OF Chicago is reported as having said, !
Il DO not believe in sending our youths |
TO the trenches OF Europe instead OF |
providing an adequate army to prevent |
home invasion" The war can be
ended. the world made safe for us all |
to live In. only by fighting the Ger
mans were they are. History shows
that all nations which have waited TO |
be attacked have suffered in conse-
quence. Ask any Frenchman whether
he thinks It an advantage to France
that the war is raging on French soil.
There could only be one answer to
such q foolish question. The American
army must fight the Germans In Eu-
rope In order TO prevent them from
bringing the war to the United States
The task which the United States
have taken up in consequence OF Prus-
sian attack upon its sovereign rights
IL the task OF throwing into the scale
tho last weight which will turn II
against Germany. That task may be
summed up in the three Fs-Feed,
Finance and Finish. When there are
two million American troops facing
the common foe of all nations. which
put Right before Might the finish OF
the war will be at hand. The world |
looks to American initiative. enterprise
and innate love OF freedom to put an
end, let US hope for all time. to on at
tempt TO tyrannize, unprecedented In
history"