The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-11-08
PLEADS MOSTLY FOR SHIPS
Speaker Reviews Cause and Action Of
Conflict and Then Points Importance
Of transportation A Brilliant
Scholar and Forceful Orator.

Speaking before the Congregational
Men s Club on Monday evening, Rev.
Arthur G. Ryan, lately returned from a
long residence in Turkey and now liv-
ing in Chicago, thrilled his audience
with his graphic and mastery presenta-
tion of the near eastern factors in
volved in the present war. Rev. Ryan IS
address followed delightful dinner
served in the parlors OF the Congrega-
t,onal Church under the direction Of
M and Mrs. L M Theirs. Preceding
the address of the evening @. e. Mel
sen, accompanied at the piano by his
brother, A. S. Nielsen, sang with excel
lent voice and feeling "Close Your
Weary Eye-Lids'', by Blanchard, and
Carrie Jacobs Bond IS masterpiece, ga
Perfect Day."
With a broad understanding of re-
cent history and charmingly natural
delivery, Rev. Ryan proved one of the
most popular speakers ever appearing at
the meetings of the Men $ Club. His ex-
perience as missionary in the orient
had made it possible for him to gather
a wide store of facts all of which had
direct bearing upon the causes of the
present war. This information present
ed without camouflage" and with
constant reference to maps gave a
clearly practical discussion of ante-bel-
lum conditions which led to the con-
flict now involving most of the nations
of the world.
''There are three great causes of
the war;" Rev. Ryan declared in be-
ginning his address, "namely, a desire
for more territory, an ambition to hold
strategic points, and a determination
to reform governments in such a way
as to give the people more power in
their management. All of these have
been operative to some extent in the
present conflict. Prussian desire for
more territory encouraged the kaiser to
covet control of Turkey and Mesopota7
mia; Russian resolution to prevent Ger
man occupation of Constantinople per-
suaded the ear to mobilize his troops
in August, 1914; finally, Slavic CROP
ings toward democracy melted 40 Rus
slams to revolt against the czar and to
create that general license and democrat
ization that have permanently eliminat-
ed them from the war. The fact that
all three causes have been at work in
the genesis of the present war is a strik-
ing proof Of its universality and mighty
significance.
Around this basic statement Rev.
Ryan built his chain of detailed causes
for the present war. He emphasized es-
pecially German intrigue in the near
East and deplored the fact that treaty
adiudieating these various claims had
been all but concluded in June of 1914.
He explained fully the Balkan situation
and affirmed that the war between Bull
garia on the one hand and Greece, Rou-
mania, and Serbia on the other, clearly
presaged the mightier rtruggle between
their respective "backers', Germany,
England and France
Following this discussion of causes
the speaker reviewed briefly the action
of the war to date. He was frankly
pessimistic. He showed how Germany
by matchless strategy had eliminated
the Serbian, Russian, and Roumanian
opposition, and was now attempting the
same achievement in Italy. He af-
firmed that in case Italy should be con-
quered in the same way only the single
front would then remain an obstacle to
Prussian victory. While expressing con-
fidence in the troops Of the allies he
nevertheless stated that such a situa-
tion would mean years of fighting or a
"patched-up peaee' that would lead
eventually to an even larger war than
the conflict now in progress upon the
plains of Europe.
"There are, however, y he continued
by way of silver lining, ''certain
agencies working toward peace. These
include the influence of the Roman
Catholic Church, the Vaccinations of
the Labor Party in various countries
of the world, and the pressure of CAPT
tai, now seriously threatened with loss
by the long duration of the war Any
one of these powers may bring sudden
peace at any time but peace that
might be detrimental to the best inter-
ests Of democracy, Christianity, and
Civilization. -
In speaking of the prosecution of the
war, Rev. Ryan emulated Lord North
cliffe in his appeals 70" "ships, ships,
ships, Explaining the rayages of
German submarines he presented the
perils of decreasing tonnage and showed