TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1917-02-19

after yielding so long to Amer
lean demands, would deliberate
" throw away American friend
ship and risk war with America
unless they had weighed all the
results and had the reasonable
prospect of crushing their adj
versaries before our assistance
could become powerful enough
to save Germany's enemies.
The German calculation is to
bring down England by a dead
lier blockade and a far more
crushing starvation, than Eng
land has been able to exert up
on Germany, BEFORE the
United States can possibly re-
scue England.
After that, Germany probab-
ly calculates that she can make
peace with us when the cause
of war between her and us, if
we do make war, is automatical-
ly removed by European peace.
These calculations may fail.
But it is foolish to underrate
their menace or to believe that
they cannot possibly succeed.
The Germans are past masters
of the art of war and when
they risk their all on the sue
cess of a campaign for which
they have prepared for two
years, no man Of sense will
weigh lightly the power and
menace of such a campaign or
say foolishly that it cannot win
victory.
AS for ourselves, if we do de-
termine to go to war over Ger
many's submarine blockade of
England, we should begin and
c~easelessly carry on the tre-
mendous preparation necessary
to defend ourselves in case Ger
many wins victory over the al.
lies with that very blockade.
For if Germany energies from
the mighty battles that are
about to open on land and on
sea a victor, we must, if we
are wise and prudent, expect
that she will not hesitate to
turn her mighty ornaments
against us, if we have made
war upon her.
The Germans will argue that
we waited to attack them until
the world had been led to be-
lieve falsely that they were al
most overpowered by the great
odds they have fought against
for over two years and there
will be bitterness in their
hearts.
There will be, too, another
incentive. We shall be the on
ly nation on earth still posses
sing vast wealth, and from
whom a European combination
might hope to extort the cost
of its own huge warfare if it
could beat us in war.
New York City alone could
be put to a ransom great
enough to put the finances of
the Central Empires in shape
again if the Central Empires
could beat our fleets and force
a landing of their vast and
victorious veteran armies on
our soil.
Now, believe us, there is a
great deal more true patriotism
in putting these facts and these
possibilities plainly before you
than there is in Dragging, rant
ing, reviling and making an ass
of ones self in the holy and
beautiful name Of patriotism.
War is a business proposition,
citizens, in these days. It is a
question OF efficiency-just
exactly as factory or store COM
petition is.
We will win or lose any
war upon which we venture
precisely as we leave rant and
TRADES to cheap notoriety hunt
ers and broken-down political
takers and get down to brass
tacks and common sense, bust
ness-like preparation.
Cannon and rifles and bayo-
nets and ships and a~ircrafts and
submarines and equipment and
drilled officers and men win
wars-not loud mouths.
If we are going to fight a
frst-class Power, we ought to
drop every other national in
dustry and consideration and
turn the whole country into a
war factory.
Otherwise we will be beaten
and ruined, just as some of
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