The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1917-08-31


over which We have had no control has brought
nome to the Americans, anxious to maintain their
faith In Germany. the conviction that Amercu's
sovereignty was being outraged Its people killed
It's inner peace deliberately attacked, and Its nstl-
tuuons, founded IN sacrifice and offered to the
world, not only despised 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 myoplc ldealisn
sympathies can anything else Some of us
have suffered when the scales have fallen-cut
away by facts. At last we see clearly We have
not been drawn into the war by capitalism. or by
cominereialsin or by national policy, For months
We have been living In a state of war, deliberately
planned by q nation whose leaders for ten years
have been preparing some day to fight America
aud who have counted our good nature as cow
urdicc our anprcparcdness lack of national
self respect
Here are the fncts:
We are fighting this war in the FIRST place, be-
cause Germany made war upon us
For years she has sought to build up In Amer
lea community more loyal IT, herself thnn to the
United States. Money has been iavlshly spent In
dermanistic societies, alliances, and associations
to win the admiration and loyalty of American
citizens. our universities have been hattered
our professors have been honored for this rea-
son. Praise OF the kaiser has been inserted even
In the spelling books of public school system.
Spies have been everywhere
When the war came In 1914 German officials,
many OF them In high diplomatic positions, treat
ed tho United States. neutral nation. as II It
were an enemy. Pro-German publications. were
founded and subsidized strikes were organized
manufacturing plants were blown up. plots
against nations with whom we had treaty rela-
tons were formed within our borders bombs
we're placed on ships Ia ports Hatred of
America was systematically disseminated through
Germany and efforts we're made To Involve us in
trouble with Japan and Mexico
In reply to our repeated protests against these
and other acts of Germany, To be mentioned pres
entity, We have received promises aud explana.
lions which wCrc little less than Insults The
treaty that had existed almost the entire life OF
the American republic was set at naught and
efforts wcro made to cuerce us Into favorable
notifications NJ It's terms.
The right Of trade with helligcrents, which Ger
many led always claimed, even to the benefit OF
our enemy In the war with Spain, and which mt
Gertnany's own lnsistcnce Is universally rccog-
nlned In international law. was treated rs the
violation Of our neutrality and alliance with her
enemies. And finally the proclamation Of unre-
stricted destruction OF Neutral ships upon the
high a notification 10 the United states
that Il no longer a sovereign people hut
that II Il would sail the scas In safety II must
conform to conditions set by power that deucd
International law. humanity, and elemental NOR.
atty.
against Germany because the German state has
eutercd upon program which means the destrue-
tion u democratic institutions
The Prussiaalaatou of Gcruauy means that the
poltey OF Prussia 10 carry ON economic and po-
utlcal expansion by war Is 10 be extended
throughout the rntirc world
We rceognlse that there were once. aud w
dare believe even that there ARE, two Ger
uauys, unc liberal and the other an autncracy
based on milltarlsn. The struEEle between these
two forcvs since ISIS has been steady subjugs.
ton 81 liberalism in Prussia aud the other Ger,
man states to the with oG rrusslan fcudal no.
biity. Representative and responsible govern
meut In any truv sense NJ the word has been
fought by rrusSian leaders rrlrntlrS>ly, Educa-
lfon has been made creature OF autocrgcy and
source Of international hatred
The same fate has met every iaud rruSSianiSm
has touched Austria beaten into submission
10 1860 and all the other German states were
made practically subject 10 the viii III the Hohen-
rollcrns between that date aud 1870, France was
robbed aud Inundated The Balkan states were
kept In perennial war In the interests ot German
expansion. Bohemia aud Poland have been treat
ed with the same disregard al popular rights as
has been AlSaCC- Lorraine. Turkey became a vas
sal OF the kaiser. A great milItaristtc, anti
democratic state like southern Germany, sub
Ieryient 70 Prussia, has been started and all but