Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-07-20
Ffehfing on Foreign Soil.

raised against the participation
OF the United States in the present
war is a plea against compelling
American soldiers to fight on for
elgn soil. Those who raise it say
that they would defend our coast
and territory against invasion OF
attack, but that they would not
send force abroad or join in the
conflict until the country is in
vaded. Their attitude means sim
ply that they are opposed to the
war altogether. Making the point
against foreign service in full un-
derstanding of its significance and
the necessary conclusion from it,
they hope that some of their hear
ers will accept the principle with
out realizing whittier it leads.
Everyone knows that Germany,
our present enemy, has not ship
in which to carry an invading ex.
pedition to America, or a soldier
to spare for service on this side of
the Atlantic, and that it has not
even declared war against us. So,
if we had not dispatched a force
to France, there would have been
no war and no redress of griev-
ances.
The specious objectors maintain
that any war that makes it neces.
sary to send a military expedition
abroad is wrong and un American.
We are a peace-loving people; we
are protected by distance from
any possible invading enemy; we
do not wish to be mixed up in
European politics or in European
quarrels. All thatis true enough;
but the question of peace or war is
not one to be decided by the con
'sideration where the actual fight,
ing is 20 take place. Although we
love peace, We are ready, as every
proud and self,respecting nation
is ready, to resent unBFoyoked
and intolerable injury in the only
way in which we can resent it;
namely, by war. And the place
where the war is to be fought is a
matter Of strategy. 1t would be
the height Of folly to wait for the
enemy to fight us on our own soil.
We are now protected from actu-
al invasion by distance and by the
fact that our present enemies are
preoccupied; but distance does not
protect us from attacks upon our
rights, our property and the lives
of our people, or from the infa
nous intrigueS to stir up disorder
and Sedition at home and to en-
broil US with other countries. If
those otfenses-and everyone ad-
mits that they are oflenses-are
sufficient cause of war, there must
be war; and if there is war, troops
must be sent wherever they will
be most effective, If the ofRenses
are not sufficient, the war is wrong,
wherever it is fought.
Is it un- American tosend troops
out of the country to fight in wal}
Was it un-American to send a
naval force to Tripoli in 1903 to
punish the pirates who destroyed
our ships and enslaved our sailors?
Was it un, American to send troops
to Cuba and Porto Rico to liberate
those islands from Spain7 Shall
we condemn the attempts to restore
order in Mexico because the re
quired military operations .on for.
eign soil? In the last two instan
ces we engaged in enterprises sole.
ly for the benefit Of others, and
with no desire to gain anything
for ourselves. Surely we acted in
accordance with a high American
ideal; yet we are now confronted
with principle that virtually
condemns our conduct, not be
cause we took the only possible
steps to aid a good one. The
wOrld-outside German zap,
plauds our entry into the war and
our resolution to make that entry
mean something as one of the most
unselfsh acts ever performed by
any nation; and the world is right.
Youths Companion.
Mof;co