Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-19
TEUTONS STARTED
STRIFE LONG AGO.
Rev. z. c. Ladd, In Club Address,
SAYS Germany Began War Pre-
partitions 500 Years Ago.

"a false system of international life
in which the aggressive, cynical eff
forts Of Germany for place among
the world powers and the acts Of Aus
tria under German protection, were
the final causes of the war said Rev
.P. c. Ladd of the First Congregational
church. Moline, in his address last
evening before the members of the
University club at the Manufacturers
hotel.
Rev. Ladd claimed that for 500 years
Germany has been fostering a spirit
which made the present struggle in
evitable. This war did not develop
( in 1914, but it began its termination
/ in 1412. Indeed we may trace its
origin back to the Garden of Eden for
4 it had its roots in certain spiritual
/ facts that have been present since the
foundation OF the world he continued.
In painting this picture that is to
show the accumulation of the thun-
der clouds we must first paint the
broad. atmospheric background. What
are the traits of human nature that
! produce enmities and then war? There
I is first the inclination to distrust a
group that lives at a distance, that has
different manners and customs. There
/ is secondly the trait Of cOyetnousness,
Two groups desire the same thing,
f, One group possesses what another
group wants, perhaps feels itself en-
titled to. Excuses arise for war and
war breaks out This national ag-
grandizement is fostered by ruling
houses, Who by the divine right Of
kings. use the lives of their subjects
and the resources of their political
properties to gain new territories and
power.
"The principle Of natfonalism, that
/ consciousness of patriotism that does
not include the consciousness of being
part Of a larger whole lends itself
to international jealousies and acts Of
violence. Nationally we are at the
tribal stage.
we cannot understand the genesis
Of this war until we run cur vision
over the rise OF the power Of Prussia
II Prussia was Matched from the mark Of
; BrandenbuTg In the fateful year OF
14l2 the emperor gave this little dis
trict as a political reward to FredericE
, of Hohenzollern."
Rev. Mr.. Ladd traced the rise anJ
: development Of that little district fol
t 500 years. The story of the develop
| ment Of BTandenburg was, he declared
o. was a story of wars or aggrandize
e ment and diplomatic bulI-dozing.
, Gradually Brandenburg, or tht
To- H0henZ0lleTn house, acquired terri
- tory. In 1472 she claimed and 20
?, Pomerania In 1880 Brandenburg wa
g a European power of the first rank
n In 1901 Prussia was formally estab
t lished as a kingdom
Then came King William I, Wit
looked on the army as bushes
proposition. On it he spent tfTe
r seventies Of the income OF his kingdom
T He left his nation fourth in army an
- twelfth in actual area and population
e in Europe, but actually second il
g power, After him came the deluge O
= blood and business-Iike war unde
r Frederick the Great.
l. The story Of Prussia after that wa
= a story Of wars and preparation 70
Il wars, said Rev Ladd The rule c
It Bismark, he declared, was the china
" OF this series of deliberate. bloody eli
e forts for national agrandizemen
IS Then fear and hatred of Englan
lie arose Then the Balkan trouble
Z Then began the development of create
armies and navies. And all the Will
Germany's ambitions grew larger an
more extensive.
G Europe became a munitions shi
awaiting an explosive spark. Ths
m spark came when the Austrian crow
TO prince was murdered in June, 1871
D. Europe was ready for war and one
the spark had fallen war was inevf
at able"