The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1917-08-30

{Y wy Our attitude might have char
sa11.1-- Samaritan If he had come upon
. up the traveller, and schooled him
lie "hole affair was exaggerated. We simply &C
Herman attitude Of mind. Accustomed ms many
interpret 81 the finer ideal life Of Germany could
HNe liucken, Harnack, Herrruann, and DiessInan
"1thout reserve lend themselves to the defense of
worthy OF their words had understood then
Against our will we have been disusioned
into war, we have had thrust upon u.s. ch,
over which we have had no control has brought
nome to the Americans, anxious to maintain their
ialth IN Germany, the conviction that Americas
sovereignty was being outraged. its people killed.
!ts inner peace deliberately attacked and its nsti-
tudons. founded in sacrifice and offered to the
world, not only deSpised but in danger Of destruc-
don.
Germany has forced America, rs 1t has forced
almost the entire world, to defend itself by arms.
Nobody but those suffering from myopic idealism
sympathies can anything else Some OF us
nave suffered when the scales have faen-cut
away by facts. At last we see clearly We have
not been drawn into the war by capitalism or by
commercialism, or by national policy For months
we have been living in state of war deliberately
planned by nation whose leaders for ten years
nave been preparing some day to fight America
and who have counted good nature rs cow
ardice, our appropriateness lack Of national
sef-respect.
Here are the facts:
We are fighting this war; in the first place. be-
cause Germany made upon u.s.
For years she has sought to build up in Amer.
lea community more loyal to herself than to the
United States. Money has been lavlshly spent in
Germanistic societies. alliances and associations
to win the admiration and loyalty Of American
citizens. Our universities have been flattered,
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, If 1t
were an enemy. Pro-German publications were
founded and subsidized. strikes organized.
manufacturing plants were blown up, plots
against nations with whom had treaty rela-
lions formed within our borders bombs
were placed on ships In ports. Hatred Of
America was systematically disseminated through
Germany and efforts made to involve us In
trouble with Japan and Mexico
I'm reply to our repeated protests against these
and other acts of Germany, to be mentioned pres
emily, we have received promises and expana-
hons which were little less than insults. The
treaty that had existed almost the entire life Of
tho American republic set at naught and
efforts we're made to coercc us into favorable
notifications of Its terms.
The right Of trade with belligerents which Ger
many had always claimed, even to the benefit Of
enemy In the war with SPAIN and which ut
Germanys own insistencc Is universally recog-
niEed In international law, was treated as the
violation Of our neutrality and alliance with her
enemies. And, finally, the proclamation of
str1cted destruction of neutral ships upon the
nigh seas was notification to the United States
that 1t was no longer sovereign people, but
that II 1t would sail the in safety 1t must
conform to conditions set by power that defcd
international law, humanity and elemental NOR
ality.
In the second place defending ourselves
against Germany because the German state has
entered upon program which means the destruc-
ton Of democratic institutions.
The Prussianization Of Germany means that the
policy OF Prussia to carry economic and pO-
ndcal expansion by Is to ba extended
throughout the entire world.
We recognize that there were once and we
dare believe even now that there are two Ger
manys, one liberal and the other an autocrncy
based on miitarism. The struggle between these
two forces since 1916 has been a steady subiucn.
ton Of liberalism In Prussia and the orher Cor.
man states to the will Of Prussian feudal no.
bility. Representative and responsible govern.
ment In any true sense Of the word has been
fought by Prussan leaders reentlessly Educn.
ton has been made creature Of autocracy and
source Of international hatred.
The same fate has met every land Prussianism
has touched. Austria beaten into submission
In 1885, and all the other German states were
made practically subject to the will Of the Hohen
zollerns between that date and 1870. France was
robbed and Inundated. The Balkan states were
kept In perennial war In the interests Of German
expansion. Bohemia and Poland have been treat
ed with the same disregard Of popular rights
has been Alsace-Lorralne. Turkey became Il vas.
sal OF the kaiser great mtaristic, anti.
democratic state like southern Germany sub.
4aFvtent to Prussia, has been stasted and all but