Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1917-07-05

force the United States of America to
step into the place, to play the role
assigned her by Wilhelm & Co., Of Ber-
lin. Ever careful to save appearances
in even supposedly secret moves, they
prepare for the eventuality of the en-
trance of the United States into the
war by the Zimmerman bid for Next
can and Japanese cooperation against
US.
"Since the beginning of 1915 you
will find practically no reference in
the German or Austro-Hungarianp press
to the United States Of an appreciative
or complimentary character, in spite Of
the fact that American diplomatic and
consular officers in the warning cOun-
tries were working most earnestly and
generously to care for German and
Austro-Hungarian interests. The tens
of thousands of civilian and military
prisoners in France, England, Russia
and Serbia owe an untold debt Of
gratitude to America.
Prepared People for War.
"Gratuitous service all of it! Still,
in spite of this, frequent TRADES
against this country were published,
and everything possible was done to
prepare the people Of Germany and
Austria for the eventual state of war
with the United States.
81 find that even in our own country
they have endeavored to create the
ho+ in
the entente countries were derelict in
their duties. What in reality they de-
handed was not neutral service; they
attempted to force on our officials a
whole-hearted espousal of the German
cause, and hoped to realize their aims
by operating through their partisans
in the United States.
zone hears various statements with
regard to the causes which brought on
this world conflict. To my mind, the
present crisis in our history is an in
stance where the vital interests of the
United States are brought into COLI
sion with those Of the German empire
and it depends upon us whether or not
the logical development of our country
shall be arrested at this point, for that
is what will surely happen should the
German arms prevail.
ut seems to me that the history of
Prussia is exactly parallel to that of
many corporation, particularly
those which throve in this country
some years ago before they had been
regulated. They were above the law.
They absorbed their competitors, by
purchase whenever possible, but if
not, they ruthlessly destroyed them
and annexed their commercial terri
tory.
with the determination Of acquir-
ing an outlet to the North sea, Prus-
STA exploited the unimpOrtant queS-
ton of the duchies to such advantage
that while a British pacifst ministry
looked supinely on, deaf to Russia S
appeal for combined action, Schleswig
and HOlStein were, with AuStria'S re-
luctant assistance, wrested from Den
mark in the war of "a, thereby gain
ing Kiel and strip of the North Sea
coast-the entry of Germany into the
field of world commerce, the founda-
ton of German sea power.
"The results Of the consolidation Of
1870 having proved SO satisfactory, the
time had arrived in the summer Of
1914, in the opinion of the then di-
rectors of the Prussian trust, to take
the next step toward it's logical devel-
opment.
British Halt Prussian Plan.
"Now, the plan to be realized in the
west was, in short, to possess them
selves of the mine in Belgium and in
Northern France and to acquire the
coast as far down as Havre. It was
here that the British interfered with
the Prussian plans. They seemed con-
vinced for some unknown reason that
Great Britain would not enter the war
for at least month or more after
it's outbreak, and you can readily i'm
agine what would have been the result
had the British remained quiet and
the northern coast of France, taking
Calais, Boulogne and Havre and land
ing troops which would have swept
across Normandy to join the forces
which had advanced through Belgium.
"It is this initial check which the
Berlin general staff can never forgive
the British.
"The Germans have accomplished
portion of their scheme in the seizure
of the coast as far as Ostend, as we'll
as the Belgian and French mines, with
out whose product Germany would
have been seriously embarrassed dur
ing the war. Had the plan carried
through as conceived, the next step
would have been the absorption of
Holland, peacefully, if possible, but
ABSORPTION, in any case.
'The second part Of the great plan
is the formation Of the largest COM
mercial combination or trust that has
ever been conceived by the mind of
man, viz: The addition of Austria
Hungary to the German empire, under
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