The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1917-06-21

before we were ourselves engaged that
they are not our enemies. They did
not originate or desire his hideous
war or wish that we should be drawn
into It; and we are vaguely conscious
that We are fighting their cause. as
they will some day see IL as well
as our own. They are themselves
in the grip OF the same sinister power
That has now at last stretched its ugly
talons out and drawn blood from us
The whole world is at war because
the whole world Is in the grip OF
that power and is trying out the great
battle which shall determine whether
1t is TO be brought under it's mastery
or fling itself free.
The war was begun by the military
masters OF Germany, who proved to
be also the mastrs of Australian.
gary. These men have never regard.
ed nations as peoples, men, women.
and children of like blood and frame
as themselves, for whom governments
existed and in whom governments had
their life. They have regarded them
merely as serviceable organizations
"AACA NASy OOuAu NY AOlNC
bend or corrupt TO their own pur.
pose. They have regarded the smaller
states in particular. and the peoples
who could be overwhelmed by force.
as their natural tools and instruments
OF domination. Their purpose has
long been avowed. The. statesmen
OF other nations. to whom that pur-
pose was Incredible. paid little at
tention; regarded what German pro-
fessors expounded in their olassrooms
and German writer's set forth to the
world as the goal OF German policy
as rather the dream of minds detach-
ed from practical affairs, as prepos-
ferrous private conceptions OF German
destiny. than as the actual plans of
responsible rulers; but the rulers of
Germany themselves knew all the
while what concrete plans. what we'll
advanced intrigues lay back of what
the professors and the writers were
saying, and were glad to go forward
unmolested, filling the thrones OF Bal
kan states with German princes. put
ting German officers at the service
OF Turkey to drill her armies and
make interest with her government,
developing plans OF sedition and re-
bellion in India and Egypt. setting
their fires in Persia. The demands
made by Austria upon Servia were
mere single step in a plan which
compassed Europe and Asia, from
Berlin to Bagdad. They hoped those
demands might not arouse Europe, but
they meant to press them whether
they did or not, for they thought them
selves ready for the final issue OF
arms.
Their plan was to throw a broad
belt OF German military power and
political control across the very centre
OF Europe and beyond the Mediterran-
can into the heart OF Asia; and Austria.
Hungary was to be as much their tool
and pawn as Servia or Bulgaria or
Turkey or the ponderous states of
the East. Austria-Hungary. indeed.
was to become part OF the central
German Empire, absorbed and domi-
mated by the same orces and in
fiuences that had originally cemented
the German states themselves. The
dream had it's heart at Berlin It
could have had a heart nowhere elsel
1t rejected the idea of solidarity of
race entirely. The choice OF peoples
played no part in it at all. Il con-
templated binding together racial and
political units which could be kept
together only by force,-Czechs, Mag
yars. Croats, Serbs, Roumanians,
Turks, Armenians.-th proud states
OF Bohemia and Hungary, the stout
little commemorative OF the Balkans,
the indomitable Turks. the subtitle
peoples OF the East These peoples
did no wish TO be united. They ar
IDENTIFY desired to direct their own
affairs would be satisfied only by un-
disputed independence. They could
be kept quiet only by the presence
or the constant threat OF armed men.
They would live under a common
power only by sheer compulsion and
await the day OF revolution But the
German military statesmen had reck.
oned with all that and were ready
to deal with Il in their own way.
And they have actually carried the
greater part of that amazing plan into
executionl Look how things stand.
Austria Is at their mercy Il has
acted not upon its own initiative OF
upon the choice OF its own people
but at Berlins dictation ever since
the war began. It's people now de-
sire peace. but cannot have IL until
leave Is granted from Berlin. The
so.called Central Powers are IN fact
but a single Power Servia Is at its
mercy should its hands be but for
moment freed Bulgaria has con
sented to its will and Roumania is
overrun The Turkish armies which
Germans trained. are serving Ger.
many. certainly not themselves. and
the guns OF German warships lying
I'm the harbOr at ConstantinOple re-
mind Turkish statesmen every day
that they have no choice but TO take
their orders from Berlin. From Ham
burg 70 the Persian Gulf the net is
spread
Us 60 not easy to understand the
eagerness for peace that has been
manifested from Berlin ever since the
snare was set and sprung? Peace,
peace. peace has been the talk of her
Foreign Omce for now year or more
not peace upon her own Initiative. but
upon the initiative OF the nations over