The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-08-05
BY GEORGE AIDE
OF the Vigilantes.

N
of those who would build empires and
control large destinies.
Is there any measure of truth in
their belief that we have been mtsled
and hoodwinked by Rritian? Now that
we are in the war, can any man con-
vince himself that we might have kent
out OF it? Should we have refused to
sell munitions to the allies? Could we
have repressed and held in check onr
feeling of gratitude to France for
services rendered hong ago?
II we can give straight ars"'s" -
these questions VIC are doubly forti-
! fled for the war.
| And II these Questions suggest thor
selves to us. time and time again 1t
is not because We have our doubts.
but because the more jndicially and
cold -bloodedly and imnartiaily We
cross examine ourselves. IL" nor" "v'.
dent it becomes that W" either had to
20 into this war or surrender our
charter as a free people.
Two prodigious facts stood out be-
fore us at the beginning Of tn" strug.
gle. All the sophistries and indirec-
lions Of tho diplomats. all the green
books and blue books and white books
floodine the world. all OF the libraries
that will be written In exploration and
de tense never can remove or even
alter these two mountain peaks OF
truth.
One fact was that GERMANY DELHI
cratcly forced the war because 1t
seemed that the fortunate day had ar
rived when the continent Of Europe
could be pounded into submission.
The other fact was that Germany
deliberately broke her word Of honor
and outlawed herself by the brutal In
vasion OF Belgium.
With these two facts looming in
front Of them. the American people inn
mediately and instinctively turned
against Germany Our sympathies
were given whole heartedly to the al
lies because they couldn't 20 any.
where else. The Issues were too plain.
The evidence was TOO unmistakablc.
Great britain and France did not lead
MS. We were led by an old-fashioncd
and elemental preference for decency
and fair play.
After that we sold food and NUM-
tions to the enemies of Germany.
The Germans have always insisted
upon their right to sell guns and shells
anvwhere in the world at any time.
Our soldiers in the Spanish American
war were killed bv German bullets
fired from German guns Every Fill
Pine insurrecto hiding II, ambush 10
get one Of our men carried Germa n
weapon that had been sinuggled to
him.
We had = right to sell our products
to Great Britain and France. And
now, thank goodness. we can say
openly what we have felt all the time.
that it was our duty TO supply them.
With half of the world on fire. q
good many dark places are being ii'''.
minated This war has vtndicatet
, British policies and crowned France
with "A glory that never can perish. \
, Germany with all her cleverness
foresightedness and preparedness FOL
any contingency has persistenly bun
dered in her guessing as to othe'
, nations. Germany played every Other
, country in the world for either n TOO
. or a coward France could not Ions
resist because her army was disorKan
p lied and her people lacked heroic fiber
Belgium would yield If 1t saw an in
vinciblc army crossing the frontier
Great Britain dared not come In. u
, she did, Ireland would rebel. Egyp
would uprise. there would he civil wa
: In India. the Beers would fight TO
: Germany. and Canada might be seizet
t by the United States. Russia was u
/ be bamboozled and corrupted. Thu
Balkan states were to be had for tn
3 picking.
The qualities which enable reopl
I to wage war succesfully-tenacit,
Z obedience to supcriors. unfaltertn'
n loyalty. the willing spirit OF sacrifice
q the ability to husband resources an
0 concentrate energies-these were no
e to be found anywhere except In Ger
e many.
= The disappointment Of Germany no
: been the triumph Of democracy. w
find the London cockney ftghttnl
d alongside of the Canadian. the Nev
g Zealander the Arab from Soudan, tn
d lrishrnan from Cork. Slkhs AM
q Chourkas from India and BOer Dutch