The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-08-15


peace there Is perhaps a certain ap-
propriateness in reviewing briefly
those facts which seem pertinent to
this discussion. 1t is. in addition,
necessary that The Tribune should set
forth Its view quite definitely. since
certain Of Its readers have seemed In
recent days to misunderstood its
statements.
At the outset we may say that the
United States. like all the nations
lighting Germany. Is at war because
Germany has attacked not merely or
mainly the material interests of the
United States. but has assailed that
whole body and framework of inter-
national law and common humanity
which represents the meaning for us
Of the world civilization. The Ger
mans have done this thing with the
deliberate purpose of accomplishing
thereby certain ends and aims. profit
able and desirable to themselves.
When Germany invaded Belgium
she tore up. not n treaty merely. not
a single guarantee of specific Belgian
rights: sho thrust a German sword
through the whole basis of inter-
national right. When. having done
this. the Germans sought to terrorize
and subdue the people whose liberty
they had invaded by systematic, arson.
murder. rape; by carrying the meth
DDS Of the battlefield into their re-
iations with civilian populations. they
similarly did violence to that con-
ception Of humanity which had pre-
vailed hitherto throughout the civ
ilixed world and was up to that time
believed to prevail in Germany.
In sum, having set out to impose
Gsrman rule on certain portions o.
the world. to conquer some races and
to annex and permanently subjugate
others. Germany had recourse to
methods and to instruments which
were abhorrent to civilized man. The
rnassacres Of Belgium were the work
of soldiers. with weapons in their
hands; the crime of tho Lusitania,
the loosing of poison gas at Ypres.
the use of the Zeppelin and the
aeroplane against the non-combata
OF open cities represented
the combination OF modern science
with ancient barbarism. But all were
equally the expression of the same
German idea.
The consequence of this German
procedure was to give the present
war q wholly different character from
all other wars In modern history. It
was recognized In France. in Britain.
II has later been recognised in italy.
Russia. and the United States, that
the real issue of the war was whethei
the German idea. the idea of force. !
Of the use of every weapon
and the employment of every ma
chine and method to attain a desired
object an object not based upon
moral right. but upon material in
terest. should prevail In the world or
be defeated.
BY slow but sure steps the war
changed It's character in the mind of
the remotest neutral from a war of
the old European type, from a war
based upon rival ambitions of con-
tending States. to n struggle between
two ideas and two ideals, the ideal
OF the world outside of Germany.
which was based upon the concep-
tions and teachings OF thousand
years OF progress toward humanity.
justice and equality, toward the mu-
tual recognition Of individual rights,
and the German idea that there was
a special right vested in the German
to ignore all dictates of law and hu-
manity when he. collectively and in
the form Of his State, desired some
thing.
The German asserted through all
ms sookcsmen that there was
higher law than the common rights
OF nations. He asserted IL when he
Invaded Belgium. and the German
Chancellor frankly affirmed that what
was being done was wrong but the
wrong was atoned for by the fact that
Germany was In state of necessity.
Each further assault of Germany
upon the rights and liberties as we'll
as the persons and lives of men and
women. OF neutral as we'll as belli-
gerent nations. was defended and
Justified because 1t served n German
purpose and contributed to the rcali-
zation Of n German end.
In this time there was frankly nro.