Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-08-23

without lend themselves to the defense of
worthy Of their words had understood them
Against our will have been disillusioned.
into war. we have had thrust upon us. A cha
over which have had control has brought
home to the Americans, anxious to maintain their
kaffh in Germany, the conviction that Americas
sovereignty being outraged, its people killed,
Sfs inner deliberately attacked and its insi
tut1ons. founded In sacrifice and offered to the
world, not only despfsed but In danger OF destruc
ton
Germany has forced America, it has forced
almost the entire world, to defend itself by arms
Nobody but those suffering from myopic fdealism
Eympafhies anything else. Some Of
have suffered when the scales have fallen-cut
away by factx- At last we clearly. We have
not been drawn into the By capitalism, by
cc1n1nexcdahszn. or by national policy. For months
we have been living in state OF war; deliberately
pasmnsd by nation whose leaders for ten years
hafE been preparing some day to fight America
and who have counted good nature
aTvdioe. unprepareiness a lack of national
seafrespeet
Here are the facts:
We fighting this war, In the first place. be-
cnrHe Germany made upon
For years she has sought build up Amer
Sea community more loyal to herself than to the
United Stnte&- Money has been lavishly spent in
Eeumanas41e societies. alliances. and associations
TO win the admiration and loyalty OF American
citizens Our universities have been fattered
professors have been honored for this
Praise of the kaiser been inserted even
In the spelling books Of public school system.
Spies hare been everywhere
When the var came In 1914 German officials.
nsany Of them In high diplomatic positions, treat
ed me United States. neutral nation, If 1t
enemy ProGeman publications
founded md subsidized. strikes were organized,
manufacturing plants were blown up. plots
against nations with whom had treaty rela-
aons formed within borders, bombs
were placed ships In ports Hatred OF
America Systematically disseminated through
Germany and efforts made to involve
troualle with japan and Mexico
In reply fD repeated protests against these
and other acts Of Germany. to be mentioned pres
emily, have received promises and e1plana-
t1ons which were little less than insults The
treaty that had existed almost the entire life OF
the American republic set at naught and
efforts were made to coerce Into favorable
rnoxd1hcat1oRs Of fits terms.
The right OF trade with beIligerents, which Ger
many bad always claimed. even to the benefit Of
our enemy In the war with Spain, and which at
Ge1manys 0En insdstence Is universally recog-
ni1en In international law, treated the
violation a neutrality and alliance with her
enemies And. finally. the proclamation OF unre-
s1z1efeo destruction of neutral ships upon the
high seas was a notification to the United States
that II VAS longer sovereign people, but
CONFORM 10 conditions set by power that dehed
international Law, humanity, and elemental NOR
atty
In the second place are defending ourselves
aZninsf Germany because the German state has
entered upon a program which means the destruc-
zion Of democratic institutions
The PRESENTATION Of Germany means that the
puf1eJ az Prussia to carry on economic and po-
6f1ca1 expansion by Is to be extended
Throughout the entire world
We recognise that there once, and we
dare believe even now that there are, two Ger
r,auyz liberal and the other autocracy
based on miiitarism- The struggle between these
two forces since 1915 has been a steady subjuga-
tion OF liberalism in Prussia and the other Ger
man states to the will OF Prussian feudal
bidty. Representative and responsible govern
rnent In any sense OF the word has been
fought by Prussian leaders relentessly. Educa-
tion has been made creature of autocracy and
source OF International hatred
The same fate has met every land Prussianism
has touched. Austria was beaten into submission
In 1856 and all the other German states were
made practically subject to the viii of the Hohen-
zoIlerns between that date and 1870. France was
robbed and Inundated. The Balkan states were
kept In perennial in the interests OF German
Expansion Bohemia and Poland have been treat
led with the disregard OF popular rights as
has been Alsace-Lorraine. Turkey became vas
sal of the kaiser great militarisuc, anti
democratic state like southern Germany, sub
=ervient to Prussia has been started and all but