The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1917-07-28
How the War Came to America. ..

tfaI rights we're not brought into ques-
uoH by Germany a. early as by Eng.
land the German controversy vas IN.
6H.'ely more serious
For an} discussions that might arise
ua arbitration treaty existed between
the United States and the German GOV
erumaut This vas from no fault 81
ours Ne had tried ta establish Hith
Germany the same treaty relations we
had with Great Britain aud nineteen
other nations Hut these oyeriurrs had
hnen rejected And this action on the
part Of N" imperial German Govern
mcnt was unly nue example OF It's
50 hole system Of diplomacy In both
conferences At The Hague II had been
Ihe German Delegates who were the
most active ia blocking all projects
for The pacific settlement OF disputes
brtaepu nations They had preferred
20 limit international relations TO the
old modes Of diplomacy and var II
was therefore obvious from the FIRST
that auy controversy with the German
Government would ho exceedingly So
riouz for # it could not be solved bay
direct diplomatic conversations, there
gas no recourse except 10 war
Frum such conversations there Is
maII hope OF satisfactory results un
less the good faith 81 both sides is pro
found II either side lacks good faith
oF reveals Ia all its actions an iustdious
hostility diplomacy ts 81 uo avail Aud
au IL has proved Ia The present case
In the Hrat year Of the var the Gov.
nrumeal of Germany stirred up among
ts people Il feeling ol resentment
against she United states on account
oE CIR lnslatence npon our right rs a
neutral nation ia trade Ia munitions
atIh the bflligereut powers our legal
right Ia the matter vas not seriously
questioned by Germany She could not
have done So consistently for az Re-
Gently as The Balkan Wars of 1919 and
1918 both Germany ana Austria sold
munitions 90 The boiIIgereHtE Their
appeals 60 rs Ia the present war were
not 10 observe International law, bat to
revise it in their interest And these
appeals they tried To- make on neral
and hfmiltatiur grounds Hut upon
'thp moral issue involved, thc stand
taken by the United States MAS con
sisfeut with its traditional policy aud
with oby ions common sense For H.,
with all other Heutrals. Sc refused to
sail munitions 50 heilieafenta we could
never in time of war of our own
obtain munitions fFam nputrals and
the nation which had accumulated the
largest reserves at war supplies la
time OF peace would be assured of
victory. The militarist state that ia
vested It's money In arsenals would BE-
at fatal advantage oaer the free
people who invested their wealth In
schools To write into international
las that neHtrals should not trade Ia
munitions would BE- 10 hand over the
world 10 the rule Of thp nation with the
largest armament factories Such a
policy the United States OF America
could not accept
Hul cur principal controversy with
the German Government. aud the one
shtch rendered the situation Al once
acute, rosa uut Of their announcement
uf u sea zone where their submarines
would operate ia violation of all nc.
eoplrd principles of International Law
oar indignation az such n threat vas
soon rendered passionate By the sink
Ing of the Lu8itania This attack upon
Cur rights was not only grossly Illegal
Il drficd the fundamental concepts Of
humanity AggraYaitng restraints on
oar trade were grievances which could
be- settled by litigation after the war,
hgi the wantun murder Of peaceable