The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-05-10
Facing the Truth.


Facing the Truth.
Minneapolis Journal: America at
last is preparing for eventualities.
At last we are looking the future in
the face, and, foreseeing what it
may bring forth, are making prepar-
alton individually and collectively
to face the disaster that threatens.
War is upon US. It is not war of
our seeking, but it is war none the
less menacing for all that. The Prus
sian military autocracy has for
years planned world empire and the
ruthless destruction by which it was
to be attained. We would not be-
lieve Bernhard and other German
military writer's, when they disclosed
the outlines of the plot before the
war broke. But we have learned
in the bitterness Of reality that they
told the truth.
The war has shown that there is
nothing at which Germany will stick
to attain her ends-not one crime in
all the wars bloody category she will
not commit with cold calculation.
Treaties mean nothing to her, nation
al honor does not exist for her, con-
siderations of humanity, of civiliza-
ton, of human rights are as naught
to her. She is inspired only and
solely by the will to conquer.
Nothing is too sacred to be immo-
lated on the altar of her barbarous
philosophy of "world might.
In the working out of her schemes
the United States has at last been
involved development that must
long have been foreseen and prepar-
ed for in Berlin. How else are we to
explain the elaborate and careful
plans to divide US by secret propag-
anda, the persistent plottings of her
agents not only here, but all through
Latin America? As the war which
she has forced upon us develops, we
shall doubtless have other evidences
Of the care with which German plans
have been laid against US.
And let it not be forgotten that
if Germany should defeat England
we should lie open to despoilment by
the conqueror. That ID the stark fact
which we Americans must now strive
to comprehend to the full. America
is a fat and fertile prize, almost un-
defended. A hundred thousand men
landed on the Atlantic littoral, could
take Washington and lay . half doz-
en- great cities under tribute. Nothing
but England and our navy stand in
the way.
That is why we must make very
sure that England is not defeated.
We are to fight, not for England,
not for France, rot for any Of the
allies primarily. but for ourselves. 1t
Il our own lives and fortunes that
are in deadly peril.
Tho best and surest method Of
defense is to see that England and
the allies are victorious. We have
high ideals to defend, it is true. but,
even without these, self-interest
would dictate our course Of support
porting the allies in shattering the
German dream of world dominion
beyond repair.
We have frittered away more
than two years in fatuous failure to
prepare. There must be no more
waste Of time. We must prepare to
exert the utmost Of strength that is
in US, to help close tighter the ring
of steel that incloses the German
beast. For, once that ring is shat
tered, our own doom is sealed.
The neutral nations Of Europe all
depend more or less upon imported
foodstuffs and imported raw mater
ials for manufacturing industry. The
outlook for such neutrals is not
bright. If it shall come to the point
where all America can produce in
the way Of ships and provisions must
be devoted to the active prosecution
! Of the. war by this country and its
allies the neutrals must suffer sever
y. Already their outcries are being
heard above the dim Of battle. And
In the neutral states lies The power
te bring an almost irresistible pres
sure for peace. It il. in fact, scarce
y. conceivable tha& Europe can pasl
through another winter ef spcA ME