Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-09-06
THE CAUSES LEADING UP
TOOUR WAR WITH GERMANY
Facts Which Should be Familiar to Every American; An In
terestng Review of Incidents Which Lead to Break of
Diplomatic Relations and Later to Declaration of War;
Published in Sections
SECTION FIVE

The violation of Belgian neutrality
shocked Americans as II did the rest
of the civilized world, and turned
the tide of sentiment against Ger
many more strongly than ever. Amer.
leans are practically unanimous in re.
gardinS the belated excuses of your
20, eminent, to the effect that Belgian
neutrai'ty was alIeahy violated by thu
allies, as mere cirmsy subterfuges,
trumped up to stem the terrible liz"
Of universal condemnation heaped up
innocent people. Nothing that any
German can ever say or write viii ef-
face from the memory of the word
the uncontroyerti..lC fact that your
chancellor officially admitted your
country's guilt in this matter. The
wrong speak openly, gentlemen
the wrong we have done Belgium will
be riahted when our military ends are
accomplished" In these words your
chancellor Numbered out truth which
has for ever silenced all your apollo.
gists for the crime. American opinion
considers 1t discreditable and futile to
invent charges against French soldiers
ON Belgian soil and French aviators
flying over Belgian territory; and to
try to make out case in defence of
Germany on the basis of documents
discovered in Belgium-when your
chancellor has officially admitted Ger
many's guilt. Americans have M
doubt that on the basis OF the well
known facts of the case, supplemented
by your chancellor's admission Of
guilt, history will for ever record Ger.
many's brutal disregard of her treaty
obligations and her murderous assault
on a small. innocent nation as one of
the most terrible crimes ever commit
ted by a nation claiming to rank high
among civilized peoples.
The plea that military necessity"
justified the destruction of an innocent
people, that the invasion of Belgium
was necessary as measure Of "scli
defence" Americans consider as strik,
ing proof Of the essential barbarlty of
the German government. man who
would shoot down an innocent girl in
order to get at another man would be
condemned as the worst kind OF a
brute. A government which slaughtCrs
an innocent and peaceful people in
order to get at an enemy government
Is universally regarded by Americans
as the worst type of n barbarous gov.
eminent No truly civilized govern.
ment could be so brutally selfish as
to protect itself by innicting the hor
rors of fearful war upon a helpless and
unoffending people.
You dismiss the question OF afro
cities by asking II Americans can be
lieve that such Germans as know
would commit such awful deeds. The
reply to this is that, while Americans
realize that there are many Germans
who would rather die than do cruel
act. Germany possesses military
government which has convinced Am.
mericans and the rest OF the world
that, under the plea of military neccs.
sity," II will commit the most barbat.
Gus crimes. History demonstrates
that q military government stiles the
finer instincts OF the people which
support II. Many Germans struggled
to overthrow the military clique In
Germany, and some OF them are
among the most gentle.hearted. kindly
souls II has ever been my good for.
tune TO meet Others have exalted the
military and the idea OF war; and