Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-06-29

The women who attended Saturdays
meeting have enlisted for the work
with a proper appreciation Of its i'm
portance and the necessity for faithful
service. They must not be permitted
to carry all the burden, and they will
not be.
DEFENSE, OR TRIBUTE7
Millions for defense, but not one
cent for tribute.
This was stirring and effective raj
lying cry in America when our fore
fathers fought for independence. II
may we'll be taken today for the tex
Of the appeal which is being made tc
the people at large by the apparent few
to whom the desperate seriousness OF
the country's present crisis Is clear !.
! At every turn one may find Amerl
cans who persist in the stubborn and
senseless assertion that this country Is
entering the war to defend England
than which there is no more mistaken
statement possible with regard to the
situation.
Its source. needless to say, Is pro
German, and Of all the proGerman
propaganda with which America has
| been flooded, this perhaps is the most
| insidious and most untrue. 1t has
gained such wide circulation that 1t is
| repeated now by men who at hear
are loyal Americans, but whose failure
to realize the solemn fact that the wal
affects their very lives and liberty
blinds them to It's true causes. Its true
meaning and its possible results.
Americas peril. as a nation and as
community. is just as great and just
as serious today as 1t was when Wash
ington lead his determined and IN
trained troops through long war ia
| establish a government of democratic
principles free from the grinding tax
alton and injustice of cruel mon
archy.
Then there was no question in the
minds Of the loyal colonists as to the
part each must take in the war. Inc
extent of sacrifice which each consid
cred his duty was limited only by the
opportunity for service and the task
that came to hand.
Americas victory in that war still
takes rank as one of the wonderful
events in world history. An infant
nation, with all the weaknesses OF IN
fancy. triumphed in long and des'
perate war over one of the modern
worlds oldest and strongest powers.
Only the united and loyal sacrifice OF
every Individual American patriot
made victory possible. Private for:
tunes were tossed into the national
treasury with patriotic unselfshness;
family plate was cast into bullets /:
men. women and children subsisted
uncomplainingly on diminished sup
plies Of food; gladly and eagerly, lives
were sacrificed for the cause OF free
dom and the rallying cry was
Millions for defense, but not one
cent for tribute.
Today we face the same dangers
that our forefathers faced. We have
entered a war for the same principles
| that impelled them to challenge a des
potic king. We have entered 1t to de-
fend our government, our institutions,
our homes and our families, and the
cause is just as much personal one
with every American today as 1t was
in 1776.
England, France and the other ma
tons at war with Germany do not en-.
ter into Americas considerations now.
! We did not enter the war at their be-
hest nor as their defenders. We were
forced into the struggle by indisput.
able evidence that Germany. crazed
with war lust, was determined TO SUD-
jugate America and force the worlds
richest nation to supply the billions
which Germany would need to re-estab-
lish her commercial fabric at the end
of world war for world domination.
That was Germany's plan. That Is
Germany's plan. And unless America
experiences a genuine revival OF the
spirit which won it's war with England,
| Germany will carry out that plan.
I These words are not written without
due consideration of the facts. They
are based on certain knowledge OF
the conditions OF the nations engaged
! in the war, their fighting strength and
their ability to withstand the German
cnslaughts.
! Unless America awakens to the true
facts and ceases to regard its war with
a detached and carefree lack OF inter
! est. the present generation will find It
self paying tribute to the kaiser
France, England, Russia, Italy and
their lesser allies are in league
against Germany. with solemn agree
ment to make no separate treaties OF
peace. The United States Is at wal
with Germany but Is not included for
mally in this league of nations. II
they were to succumb to the terrible
damage Germany has been infiictine
on them for nearly three years. Amer
lea still would be at war with Ger
many.
II these allies were to cease fighting
tomorrow, the war between the United
States and Germany still would be on
America could not quilt, for America Il
not at war for any Of the nations Of the
entente, but for her own national life
and the salvation Of her millions Of
citizens from oppression by a more
merciiess monarchy than George ~, II
his widest dreams Of power, eoule
have imagined.
The German armies on the western
front have been strengthened by the
addition of fresh troops from the Rus
sian front. The French and British