New-York tribune., 1917-07-30
Exercising an Evil Spirit
The Real Purpose of the Strue9l. !,
Europe Now Manifest
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The struggle in Europe is en,.a..
now upon a new phase; it is taking on ~
condition and aspect Of a crusade.
The query so often heard in the past "w,..
are We fighting for?" has been ansx.,.,
clearly and unmistakably by the Cent?,
Powers
The gradual awakening Of the world "a a.
peril has been evolutionary in its char..,..,
step by step the ultimate purposes and ~
ciples of these predatory powers have 4.
come clear, and IL is generally recognized a.,
the war is not one involving a certain Or
of powers in defence of certain specific ris.,'
but has been demonstrated to be a Wa, =
maintain civilization.
Prussian miltarism in the course ~ 4.
last forty-odd years has evoked spirit a..
is obsessing the German peoples, a spr,, :.
evil, so malignant in all its tendencies ~ ~
ruthless disregard for even the most eler.-
tary principles of right or Justice. that N.Y.,
the worlds awakening TO the terrible dapv,,
and grave responsibility is also impressed y.
need of using with all possible speed eys,,
means to overcome and destroy this sni,;,
which threatens the future of humanity
Issues at Stake
The issues at stake lie deeper than tho.
involved in the principles of autocracv =.
against democracy in comparison; thew =.
volve the basic principles of the moral l,-
The total abandonment on the part Of Co.
man peoples of the spiritual and moral l..
upon which modern civilization is foprd.i
has brought the German Empire 70 ,ba ~.
verge of the abyss from which there "a. -
no escape until the German nation. voIrr'
tarily or involuntarily, abandons the sr;.;,
of militarism which has corrupted n =.
people and has wrought such woe in n.
world.
The military oligarchy that rules German,
will never concede peace which involves ~.
destruction of militarism and which up,
hurl them from place and power. As mater.
stand they have everything to gain and moth.
ing to lose in continuing the war unless the,
can enforce German peace.
The awakening of the German people n IA.
fact and the abandoning their present rulsr,
or until the military power of the Germs,
Empire is broken and crushed by the An,,
are the only paths which lie open 10 . MAJ
manent peace. The Allied nations do M, A.
sire the destruction of the German Fu,i,.
but Of the obsessing spirit which holds tbs
people in thrall.
We are too close TO current events 10 ps..
judgment, but this much can safely be stated,
The Central Powers have by their past Act,
achieved immortal infamy. The historian a,
the future will class those rulers of Germanv
responsible for the terrible pages OF history
now in the making, each one in his own place.
Statesmen, politicians and executive officer.
of the Allied nations now at war are CON.
fronted with the gravest responsibilities in
this hour of the greatest peril the world ba,
ever seen. immortal infamy may also bs
achieved by those politicians who, in the hour
Of their country's need, deliberately block.
delay and endeavor to frustrate Legislative
action of imperative urgency, vital to CON.
serving, increasing and strengthening the eco.
nomic, naval and military forces of the ua.
tion. They stand in immediate peril of a
reckoning from the people with fathers, sons
and brothers on the firing line whose safety
may be endangered by their acts. Better to
stand in the path of an avalanche than to
have to face the wrath of the American peo.
pie should occasion be given to them.
c. AUBREY VAUGHAN.
New York July 81, 1917.