Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-08-24

10 Z
German attitude Of mind. Accustomed rs many
interpret the finer ideal life OF Germany we could
| Ike Eucken Harnack Hermann. aud Dicssnat
without reserve lend themselves 10 the defense OF
worthy Of their words had understood ther
Against our will we have been dlsillusioned
into war we have had war thrust upon us. CHI
/ over which have had no control has brought
home TO the Americans, anxious to maintain their
faith In Germany. the conviction that Americas
sovereignty was being outraged. It's people killed.
It's inner pence deliberately attacked and It's nsti-
tutions founded In sacrifice and offered to the
world, not only despsed but In danger of destruc-
ton.
Germany has forced America, as It has forced
almost the entire world, 10 defend itself by arms.
Nobody but those suffering from myopic ideasm
sympathies can see anything else Some Of us
have suffered when the scales have fallen-cut
away by facts. AT last clearly. We have
not been drawn into the war by capitalism, by
commercialism. or by national policy. For months
we have been living In a state OF war, deliberately
planned by nation whose leaders for ten years
have been preparing some day TO fight America
and who have counted good nature as cow
ardice, our unpreparedness as "a lack of national
sef-respect
Here are the facts
We fighting this war. In the first place, be-
cause Germany made upon US.
For years she has sought to build up In Amer
len community more loyal to herself than to the
Germanisfic societies. alliances and associations
10 win the admiration and loyalty of American
citizens. our universities have been battered,
our professors have been honored for this rea-
son. Praise Of the kaiser has been inserted even
IN the spelling books of our public school system.
Spies have been everywhere.
When the war came In 1914 German officials,
many Of them IN high diplomatic positions. treat
ed the United States, a neutral nation, as II IL
were an enemy. Pro-German publications were
founded ana subsidized strikes were organized.
manufacturing plants were blown up. plots
against nations with whom had treaty rela-
tons we're formed within our borders. bombs
placed ships In our ports. Hatred OF
America was systematically disseminated through
Germany and efforts made TO involve us In
trouble with japan and Mexico.
In reply 20 our repeated protests against these
and other acts Of Germany. 10 be mentioned pres
entity we have received promises and explana-
tons which little less than insults The
treaty that had existed almost the entire life of
the American republic was set at naught and
efforts were made 20 coerce US into favorable
Of It's terms
The right Of trade with belllgerents which Ger
many had always claimed, even 70 the benefit OF
our enemy IN the war with Spain. and which nj
own insistence Is universally reeog-
nized IA international law, treated as the
violation OF our neutrality and alliance with her
enemies. And finally the proclamation OF unre-
sfrfctet destruction OF neutral ships upon the
high seas was a notification 10 the United States
hat Il longer sovereign people. but
hst n Il would snll the in safety II must
conform TO conditions ser BY power that dened
International law. humanity. and elemental
iiity.
In the second place we are defending ourselves
ganst Germany because the German state has
Entered upon a program which means the destrue-
ion OF democratic institutions.
The PrsssinnzatioR OF Germany that the
,ollcy OF Prussia 10 carry economic and pc-
itical expansion By war Is 20 be extended
throughout the entire world.
We recognise that there were once. aud We
Iare believe even now that there are. two Ger
nanys. liberal and The other an autocraey
lasod on mitnrism. The struggle between these
NO forces since 1915 has been steady subjnga-
ton Of liberalism ia Prussia aud the other Ger
nan states 10 the win OF a Prussan feudal
dlity Representative and responsible govern
gent in any true sense OF the word has been
ought by Prussian leaders relenuessly. Educa-
ron has been made a creature 81 autoeracy and
ourcc OF International hatred
The same fate has met every land Prussianism
as touched Austria was beaten into submission
a 1860 and all the other German states were
aade practically subject TO the will OF the Hohen-
ollerns between that date and 1870. France was
obbed aud Inundated The Balkan states were
eps in perennial war In the interests OF German
xpanslon bohemia and Poland have been treat
4 with the same disregard OF popular rights as
M been Alsace- Lorraine. Turkey became vas
nj OF the knser great mtaristic, anti
emocratic state like southern Germany sub
sryient TO Prussia has been started aud all out