The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-06-15

lBy GeOr6S tMdTLlu, OHiISo AiSSo
Staff Correspondent
NEW YORK. June 15.-
N\A Self-preservation is the first
@A law of patriotism. America
must recognize that she Is
In a war of self preservation" Isaac
F. Marcosson, American magazine
writer and publicist. just back from
five months in Europe. today summed
up for the United Press reasons de-
manding a red blooded, whole heart
ed. nation wide participation by
America in the great war.
IT left England thrilled with the
thought that would find America
aroused and at work." he continued.
II had watched an American de-
stroyer flash its flag in the van of
British ship. its sole protection; l
had heard American troops and
American jackies cheered to the echo
in London streets; / had seen on all
sides proud and grateful acknow-
Judgement in Great Britain, France
and Russia of Americas lineup for
the great cause OF world democracy
"But to my amazemert md
America indifferent-even apathettc,
frantic appeals for enlistments. de-
luge of literature urging the nation
to buy Liberty bond which should
be self selling. Everywhere the echo
Of that deadly slogan business as
usual America Is making precisely
the same mistake that England made
during the first year of the war. Then
there was mighty flag waving, but
with it a deadly inertia begot Of self
suff1ciency.
"The Englishman solaced himself
with the idea that England was an
island, fooled himself with the idea
that the war would soon be over
therefore why disturb his business or
his habits? The net result was that
the flower of England's young man
hood was eliminated before the coun-
try realized that the German subma-
rine had put ring of terror around
Great Britain.
What happened?
Famine stared the nation in the
face and there had to be recourse to
conscription.
Here, I find that same fatal self
sufficiency that came near being Eng
lands undoing.
millions of Americans are still
bitten with the delusion that the At
lantic is God-given bulwark against
the invader. They have forgotten
for one thing that the exploits Of the
U.53 off the coast Of Nantucket ami
hilated the security that an ocean
barrier once offered; they do not
reckon with Germany's possible de-
velopment of aerial warfare, making
possible an oversee aircraft whose
endurance will be equalled only by
its destructiveness.
'In other words, the battle front
of Europe is slowly but surely spread
ing from the old world to the new.
This is one definite reason why
1t is up to the whole American
people to regard the war as their
war; to feel that every advance by
the allied armies is one more step
In the direction of the only national
security.
"If Germany is not beaten on the
battle fields of Europe then the dead
ly conflict with her world ambition
must be fought out on our own
shores.
"a huge American army in Europe
today is the best assurance against
the crimsonirfg of our own land.
"The war today has a message of
meaning for every American citizen,
be he banker in New York a
ranchman in Texas, OF a street car
conductor in Spokane.
Success of the allied arms in
Europe this year means peace and
security for the free nations Of the
earth for years to come.
Failure means the constant threat
and ultimately the effort to impose
autocratic German ideas of govern
fContinued on page a.