Norwich bulletin., 1917-09-19
Made-In-Connecticut War Interviews
~wHY ARE WE AT WARP"

An Interview by Richard M. Bissell | Chairman, Connecticut State Council of Defense.
 As to-"why we are at war"
 Richard M. Bisself the chairman of the Connecticut State Council of De- fense contributes the following state | ment as one of the series of Made in- Connecticut War 1ntervtews being
 made public by the Council ,,. through
 wer to this question follows:
 "The question is asked: Why are
 we at war;" That question Is strange
 one when we stop to consider the
 suits which were inflicted upon us
 by Germany and patiently borne dur
 ing a period exceeding two years in
 duration. During this time the armed
 forces of Germany murdered Amer
 fcan citizens, sank American ships en-
 gagged in perfectly lawful undertak-
 ings. and made but vague and evasive
 replies to our demands for redress.
 When the language and tone of our
 protests became severe, assurances
 were given but were promptly broken
 when Germany's plan of campaign made a resumption of her attacks upon
 us worth while in her eyes. Germany was at the same time actually plotting the dismemberment of this country.
 >'sNo nation. with resources and pow CT sufficient to defend its existence has ever so patiently and for so long a tlrno malnCd1neQ peace III the lace or such continuous and unrequitted insult and injury. The dealings of Germany with other countries and the writings and spoken words of highly influential German officials and professors have made 1t impossible to doubt that the German autocracy planned the econo- mic and political mastery of the world. One well-known German writer before the great war began described openly the military steps to be taken in case Gor nv ch wit fn fiYDn hay will" upon America. Prior to our en- trance into the great war evidences multiplied that the time had come when the freed nations of the world must of democratic government. The stime had come when the issue of the great war was plainly whether an irresponsi- ble autocracy should hold the civilized nations of the world in a state of vir- tual vassalage or whether those nations and peoples to whom Liberty is dear , should put 1t forever beyond the pow CT Of that autocracy to carry out it's nation, great or small it seems to me ever took up the sword in a juster cause or one where the issues were so important.
 MT. Bissell adds:
 we were slow to- recognize the is- sues involved and that our present Allies for nearly three years were fighting our battle, the battle of all Democracies. As we did not share in the early struggles and sacrifices of the war, our obligation is, the more imperative now that we too have talk l en our place in the battle line. The 1 result of the contest is by no means ! determined. As President Wilson has :: said, the enemy is baked but not l beaten" and he must be beaten if our ! Ideals are to be preserved. The was l tage of men and of resources in the i countries of the Allies has been enor- 1 nous. There is urgent need of ev- i cry man, of every dollar, and of all | the materials which this country can furnish.
 we are distinctly a peace loving people. But we must remember that i; the greater the effort the sooner peace of the right kind will become possible. l He is no true lover of peace whose lukewarmness, obstructive ness. or half-hartedness prolongs the struggle. Every delay, every failure to measure up to the needs of the hour, means greater sacrifice of life and greater burdens of suffering and i The men who have taken lp arms to represent America in this war will do their utmost cheerfuliy and bravely. can we doubt that Ultima tely they and the forces of our Allies will succeed in securing for us md future generations of Americans peace and the undisturbed right to | pursue our career as nation without | ,ear of attempted foreign domination f but only if, the rest of our citizens, | nen and women alike, with an equal y high spirit of devotion give them selves to the task of supporting the nen at the front with the sum- total If the moral and material forces and resources of this country. III
 At the request of the authorities At II the Connecticut State Nj Council of Defense with it's committees n every town in the State has been ppointed by the Governor as the in tTlImRntAlifv ha i lie of Connecticut may take part in his great task. It needs and solicits lie air and support of every Connec- icut citizen"