Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-06-27
is this A RIGHTEOUS
war?
WHO STARTED THE WAR?
BY REV. w. j. SUCKOW.

:
who regards all war under all cir.
cumstances as wicked, will have his
answer ready; but most people, the
writer included, cannot thus summar-
lily dispose of the question. If this wal
is unrighteous, we had no business tC
enter it, and we should get out of il
before striking our first blow. If this
is righteous war, then we should &C
into it for all that we are worth ;
for feeble war in behalf of right
eous principle is nothing short OF
criminal.
The vast majority of Americans are
conscientious on the subject of war
We are not an aggressive nation. The
lust of conquest does not burn in ouy
hearts. We appreciate clearly the
cruelty and the wickedness inevitably
connected with war. We do not want
war, unless there is some great prin-
ciple at stake which cannot be sue
cessfully defended by less drastic
means.
Hence the question which many PEG
pie are asking themselves in these
days is, what is it that is really al
stake in this war? What are we fight
ing for? and whatever it may be, is it
of sufficient moral weight and i'm
portance to justify belligerency on
our part, which without such justi-
fcation, would be crime against civ
ilization?
The writer believes that the cause
of the American people is right
eous one, as righteous as their cause
against the tyranny of George Ills
government in 1775, as righteous as
| their cause against the slave-hold-
| ing oligarchy of the South in 1861.
Upon the invitation of the editor of
The Democrat, he will state his reas-
ons for this belief in a series of ar
ticles, aiming at such brevity as may
be consistent with fair presenta-
ton of the subject.
Being engaged in righteous war,
we should fight to win, and until we
win. Now the conditions of the war
are such that nothing short of an alb
solute and decisive defeat of the enemy
can constitute victory. The reasons
for this will appear more clearly as
we proceed with the discussion. For
two powerful reasons. One is that
our flag must be kept free from the
stain of defeat. That is a sentiment
al reason; and while it does not in it.
self justify our going to war, it may
be useful in helping to win the war
by it's immediate and direct appeal to
the patriotism of every true American
whether of native or foreign descent.
The second is practical reason,
which involves the element of right
eousness on our side of the struggle,
and one which is therefore of vastly
greater Importance than the senti-
mental reason just mentioned. 1t is
in brief, this: Unless we win de-
cisive victory in this war, not only
will the blood and treasure it has cost
and will cost be wasted, but we shall
hand to our posterity, as a legacy
from our times, the terrible alternative
of servile and ignominious submission
to an arrogant and presumptuous ov-
erloardship on the one hand, or, on the
other hand, another war, enormously
more devastating than the present one,
and to be fought under far less favor
able conditions by those who strike
for liberty.
But, owing to the present confusion
of thought on the subject of the war
and it's causes, this is precisely what
vast numbers of the American people
as yet fail to appreciate. One of the
first things to be done, by way OF
preparation for vigor-
GUS and successful conduct of the
war, is to induce some clear thinking
the facts back of this war
and the conclusions to be legitimately
deduced. 1t is hoped that these ar
ticles may be of some slight service
in this direction.
One of the many peculiarities OF
the present war is that when 1t be-
gan nobody seemed to know what it
was about. This was true. not only OF
the people of the United States, but OF
those of France and England as well.
Indeed, in all the world there was
but one group of people who knew
clearly and precisely the cause and
the purpose of the war, namely the in
ner circle of the imperial government
of Germany. All the belligerent gov
Immediately published reas-
ons for the step taken; but they
were all of so superficial character,
and were so far from stating or even
suggesting the vital truth in the mat
ter, that they need not now be enumer-
ated.
American guesses-they were moth
ing more-at the cause of the war
were, and in large measure still are,
equally far from the truth. Russia's
desire to possess Constantinople and
the Dardanelles, Frances ambition