The Pensacola journal., 1917-06-15

denied US the use of the high seas
and repeatedly executed their threat
that they would send to their death
any of our people who ventured to
approach the coasts of Europe. And
many. of our own people were cor
rupted. What great nation
in such circumstances would not nave
taken up arms? Much as we had de-
sired peace, it was denied US and not
of our own choice. This flag under
which we serve would have bem dis
honored had we withheld our hand.
"But that is only part of the story.
We know now as clearly as we knew
before we were ourselves engaged,
that are not the enemies of the
German people and that they are not
our enemies. They are them
selves in the grip of the same sinis-
ter poer that has now at last stretched
its ugly talons out and drawn blood
from US. The whole world is at war
because the whole world is in the
grip of that power and is trying out
the great battle which shall deter
mine whether it is to be brought un-
der its mastery or fling itself free.
''The war was begun by the mill
EdIN masters VI WIN p4ONC4
to be also the masters of Austria
Hungary. These men have never re
garded nations as peoples men,
women and children of like blood and
frame as themselves, for whom gov
ernments existed and in whom gov
ernments had their life. They have
regarded them merely as servlceable
organizations which they could by
force or intrigue bend or corrupt to
their own purpose. They have re-
garded the smaller states, IN partlcu-
lar and the peoples who could be
overwhelmed by force, as their nat
~ral tools and instruments OF donn-
nation. Their purpose has long been
vowed. ~
"The demands made by Austria
upon Serbia were mete single step
in a plan which compassed Europe
and Asia, from Berlin to Bagdad.
| Thev hoped those demands might not
arouse Europe, but they meant to
| press them whether they did or not,
for they thought themselves ready
for the final issue of arms.
"Their plan was to throw broad
belt of German military power and
| political control across the very cen
| ter of Europe and beyond the MeaI-
terranean into the heart Of Asia;
and Austria-Hungary was to be as
much their tool and pawn as Serbia
and Bulgaria or Turkey or the pom
derous states of the east. Austria,
Hungary, indeed was to become part
of the central German empire, ao-
sorbed and dominated by the same
forces and influences that had orig
inallv cemented the German states
themselves. The dream had its heart
at Berlin. 1t could have had q nearC
| nowhere else!
at contemplated binding together
racial and political units which could
be kept together only by force
Czechs, Magyars, Croats, Serbs, Rou-
T,anians. Turks, Armenians - the
nroud states of Bohemia and Hun
garv. the stout little commonwealths
| of the Balkans, the indomitable turks
| the subtle peoples of the east These
neonles did not wish to be united
They ardently desired to direct then
own affairs. would be satisfied only
bv undisputed independence.
"And they have actually carried
the greater part Of that amazing, plan
into execution! Look how things
e+and. = = From Hamburg to the
Persian gulf the net is spread.
as it not easy to understand the
eaqerness for peace that has been
manifested from Berlin ever since the