The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1917-06-28
THE WAR WITH GERMANY:
WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR?
Bv CLARENCE POE

The United States IS at Wal
against Germany for two fundamen-
tai reasons. For one thing, the pres
ent war from the beginning has been
essentially a conflict between democ-
racv and autocracy, and nation,
conceived in liberty" as America
was, cannot look uncaring upon tne
triumph of autocracy anywhere In
the world. In the second place, we
are fighting for the maintenance OF
human rights On the high seas, Inc
sea is the public road" of all ma
tions. No country has a right to
make it unsafe for people to travel
the high seas of water, just as no
man has a right to make it unsafe
for other men to travel our highways
of earth.
One of my good friends said, II am
not in favor Of fighting Germany I'M
til she comes within the three-mile
limit of our Atlantic Coast" Such
a policy would mean the surrender OF
fundamental American rights and ev-
en- human rights. Suppose two neigh
bors should get mad with each 9th,
er and one should say to you and
your neighbors, of any one Of you
travels the public road passing by
Nv house you do so at. your peril;
NV enemy travels along that road
sometimes, and I will dynamite with
out warning every wagon, automo-
bile or buggy ! see coming on that
road, regardless of whether l kill
you, your innocent wives, your son
and daughters, or babes sucking at
the mothers breast.
If such threat were made, 1t IS
easy enough to imagine what you and
your neighbors would do. If you liv-
ed in an organized, civilized commun-
ity you would have the man seized
as a criminal, restrained from his
purpose, and punished for any execu-
ton of his threat. On the other hand,
If you lived in an uncivilized, from
tier community, such as the "Wlld
West" was fiftv years ago, you and
the rest of the people would join to-
gether to fight that barbarian until
he respected the common rights of
humanity. And then in recognition
Of a supreme need, you might set up
constables, courts, sheriffs and jails
to prevent any such defiance of hu-
man rights in future.
1t is just such a threat against
human rights that Germany has not
only made but has carried into eXecu-
ton. When she brutality sank the gal
bottom of the sea scores and scores
of non ombatant men and women
!induding mothers with little ones
as innocent as those who prattle al
your own fireside tonight-when Ger.
IL 4. Nd h1,vl n{h
similar acts previously outlawed by
the conscience of mankind, she dyed
her Masbeth-hands with murderer's
blood, which not all her science anc
skill and boosted culture" can ever
wipe out.
Now if the nations of the earth
were properly organized, there would
be some supreme authority that would
restrain ard punish this murderer
nation, just as courts and sheriff:
now punish murderer-individuals. Blu
since we lack such 1eague of ma
tions to enforce peace" it is the in
escapable duty of America to joi,
In the voluntary effort of other PEG
pies to go Up against GERMANY un
til she renounces her murderou
threats and promises to abide by tn
stands which Chrlstendom has es
tablished.
And then there is one other thin!
which all good Americans hope vii
follow the final victory. Just as tn
outraged citizens in the frontier com
munity, after fighting the outlaws
might set up orderly government t
punish all individual offensers in flu
ture, so we hope that the nations no,
allied against Prussian brutality wi
not rest until they have establishe
a League of Nations" whereby a
the peoples of the earth will unit
their military and naval strength fo
the punishment of any individual ns
ton which again breaks or threaten
the worlds peace. Ex-President Tai
is head Of nationwide organizatio