Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-02-05
THE WAR CRISIS

a great and grave responsibility ,
rests upon the American people, not
only as q nation but as individuals. In
this hour OF peril that casts a forbid I
ding shadow on our threshold. Now
is the time for the patriot TO show
hts love for his country by doing that
which will be least embarrassing TO
his country. We stand at the brink
of an awful precipice with. heavy
gale pressing its force against our
back. A sudden gust may hurl US
down into the pit OF the world chaos.
II is to be hoped we may be spared
the anguish of agonized Europe. No
sane minded individual, and certainly
no real patriot, can desire TO see the
United States drawn into open hos.
tility with any other nation on earth
so long as there remains hope and
possibility of avoiding it. Each citizen
can do his part by thinking and act
ing conservatively and exercising pru-
dence in commenting on the situation.
We are not all of one opinion in the
but the great body Of American peO-
pie is opposed TO war and believes
there is a way TO adjust disputes in n
manner consistent with our claim TO
civilization.
In the annals of history there is
not recorded one war that was not
horror, whose cost was not a terrible !
price to pay for balm to national dig
nifty. Since the beginning of the car
mage in Europe our president has done
what he could to resist the mighty in
fluences that beckoned us onward to-
ward the field of war and woe. At
all times he has kept before him a |
realization of the awful cost that one
rash act on his part would entail. |
Situations have developed between the
United States and all the belligerent
powers which have threatened our ma
tional security at different times. Self
preservation is said to be the first law
of nature.
II is evident that both Germany and
Great British have seen the necessity
of acting with conformity to this tru-
ism. They are in the grip of a death
struggle, and tine ordinary laws OF con-
duct are set aside in the frenzy of
fear that possesses them. No human
law has the strength of character to
withstand the appeal against its sane
tity in such a Crisis. Germany Is only
doing what any other nation in like
circumstances would be compelled TO
do. If the situation were reversed, the
allies would do the same.
In the breaking off of diplomatic
relations with Germany President vii.
son did what he could not avoid doing
II this does not result in open hostility
it will be the first time in history that
two first class powers have severed
such relations without the bringing on
OF war.
1t Is to be hoped the present in
stance may be the exception. But no
matter what the end is TO be. we ma
tive born Americans have duty be-
fore us in the attitude We assume to-
ward the great number OF German pco-
pie within our land. There Is not a
community in the United States that
is without representation from the
Fatherland. Many of our best and
most substantial citizens were born
somewhere in the German Empire and
became citizens of our country after
long years of residence among US. And
the Germans that have joined our
brotherhood have been good citizens
But. from any rational view. they
must be expected 10 have tender
feeling for the land OF their birth and
where most of them still have close
relatives So II Is our duty to be kind
ly disposed toward them and 10 treat
them with due regard for the dolicacy
OF the situation in which they ar,
placed. America has set now light
before the world already in the trcnt
of civilized thought.
As individuals we may also show
the world that we have a charitable
spirit and that VIC are humanitarians
In the final analysis of the situation
Germany could not avoid taking In,
stand she has taken and Prcsidon
Wilson had no alternative but TO scve
uiDlOmafiC relations