Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1917-08-31
auY ARE We AT VAR /?

suits to engage in war. Around
us everything seems PEACEFUL
and prosperous.
Why is it that millions of men
and billions of money are called
for in order to prosecute a war,
thousands of miles away ?
TO answer this question. II is
n .cessary TO review the conduct
of our enemy.
The Crown Prince of Germany
had determined that war should
b. declared against the weaker
nltions, sooner or later. If it'll
were impossible to 10 so during
the life of Kaiser William, prep
aration was made on a large
scale, to be prepared to do so.
after the kaiser's death.
The ASA ssination of the
Prince in Austria furnished the
desired pretext..
England. in vain, sought to|
have the affair peacefully adj
justed. but her appeals were
scorned.
War was declared. Belgium
was the first victim because she
was weak. War was declared
against Russia because the Gear
saw proper in self defense to
mobilize his troops. France was
next assailed because of the
enmi:y of Germany that aatter-
ed herself that in eleven days,
she could capture Paris. dictate
terms and i'm pose a tremendous
indemnity upon France.
The small countries Of Europe
were to be overrun because they
were too weak to offer successful
resistance.
Having conquered France, the
next to be subdued was to be
England. and then what ? Mex
&c, and Japan through paid
German emmisaries were to be
aroused and induced to ma Ike war
OF the United States. Our
western territory was promised
to Mexico, with the intention OF
sooner or later making all of il
including Mexico, German Terri.
tory. Spies were sent to every
section of the United States to
sc cure information and fomeni
in ernal troubles. With the
co nbined fleets of Germany
France and England, the WA
would have extended to our owl
coast, when we would be com
PEELED to fight alone the mos
powerful nation of the world.
We would have had our fam
lilies exposed to a ruthless foe
a foe that exults in making wa
upon all classes. Little chill
dren that were not murdere,
had their hands cut off. tina
they might not in the future b.
a lie to defend themselves ant
their homes. innocent womei
were turned over to a bruta
soldiery to be Gu ged and muir
dered. Old men and old womer
were slaughtered. Able bodied
men were carried off as slaves te
serve the most cruel taskma sters;
crops were ruined ; homes were
burned and even the temples
dedicated to the living God were
destroyed by these pretended
agents of the Almighty.
Fortunately the United States
had a President who was able to
meet the crisis. He tliwarted their
nefarious designs upon Japan
and Mexico. He reserved the
strength of this nation for the
greater crisis which lie sa W wa s
coming, and to thwart the Ger
man scheme to bring the war
upon US in our own country, will
meet him in Europe. Even when
Germany protesting friendship
for us as neutral nation, MUIR
Tered our women and chill.
dren upon the high seas,
Mr.. Wilson sought protection
by peaceful means. There VIZ oil
no protection. We were forced
to protect ourselves as God had
given MS the means, and the
United States aroused by the
wrongs heaped upon us will now
strike with all the force that she
possesses. The United States is
no nation of towards. It is true
that in the interest of peace arr
to avoid cruel war, she SUBJ
mitted to much, but when snbmis-
sion was misunderstood and be-
came the cause of more serious
attacks upon her people, she
buckled on her arm0r and is now
preparing to defend herself with