Connecticut western news., 1917-10-11
WHY ARE WE AT WARP"
An Interview by Richard M. Bissell, Chairman Connecticut State Council
 of Defen SC.

or D6L0n So.
 Richard M. ISissell, 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 Interviews' being made public by the Council through the newspapers. MT. Bissell's answer to this question follows:
 "The question is asked: Why are we at warp That question is a strange one when We stop to consider the specific and wanton injuries and insults which were inflicted upon us by Germany and patiently borne during period exceeding two years in duration. Dur ing this time the armed forces of Ger. many murdered American citizens sank American ships engaged in per fectly lawful undertaking, and made but vague and evasive replies to our demands for redress. When the lan- guage and tone of our protests became severe, assurances were given but were promptly broken when Germany's plan of campaign made resumption of her attacks upon us worth while in her eyes. Germany was at the same time actually plotting the dismemberment of this country.
 "No nation with resources and power sufficient to defend its existence has ever so patiently and for so long time maintained peace in the face of such continuous and unrequited 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 it 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 Germany should wish to "impose her will" upon America. Prior to our en- trance into tho great war evidences multiplied that the time had come when the free nations of the world must band together to fight for the ideals of democratic government. The time had come when the issue of the great war was plainly whether an ir- responsible autocracy should hold the civilized nations or the world in state of virtual vassalage or whether those nations and people to whom Liberty IS dear should put it forever beyond the power of that autocracy to carry out it's plans for world wide su. premacy. No nation, great or small, it tc kba ;,, a iuster cause or one where the issues were so important.
 MT. Bissell added:
 "We were slow to recognize the issues 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 taken our place in the battle line. The result of the con- test is by no means determined. AS President Wilson has sad, the enemy is baked but not beaten'' and he must be beaten -four ideals are to be pre- served. The wastage of men and of resources In the countries of the Allies has been enormous. There is urgent need of every man of every dollar. and of all the materials which this country can furnish.
 ''We are distinctly 8 peace-loving people. But we must remember that the greater the effort the sooner peace of the right kind will become possible. He is no true lover of peace whose Cardiness, lukewarmness obstructive. ness or half -heartedness prolong 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 taxa tion. The men who have taken up arms to represent America in this war will do their utmost cheerfully and bravely, nor can we doubt that ulti- mately they and the forces of our Allies will succeed in securing for us and future generations of Americans peace and the undisturbed right to pursue our career as 8 nation without fear of attempted foreign domination if, but only if, the rest of our citizens, men and women alike, with an equally high spirit of devotion give themsel Ives to the task of supporting the men at the front with the sum total of the moral and material forces and resources of this country.
 ''At the request of the authorities at Washington the Connecticut State Council of Defense with its committees in every town in the State has been appointed by the Governor as the in- strumentality through which the people of Connecticut may take part in this great task. It needs and solicits the aid and support of every Connecti. cut citizen".
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