Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-12-14
WHO STARTED
THE wAR7~


In the last. November. issue of the
Delineator appears striking editor
ial captioned who Started the
War" in answer to lot Of letters
received at its office condemning
everyone for Americas entrance into
the European struggle. In justify
ing this ccuntry's action for what 1t
has done the Delineator has treated
only one phase of the question, the
super-man side OF II, but in its analy-
sis OF this alone II absolutely proves
a necessity of America getting into
the fray II it hoped to cherish and
perpetuate its ideals. The article is
here reproduced and careful study
Of It suggested to the reader:
I'VE have many letters in the De-
lineator editorial office protesting
against our country's entry into the
great war. Some OF these have been
from men. Most OF them have been
from women. All of them have
shown an almost complete misunder-
standing of the causes OF the war.
The letters from the men are almost
always expressions of bitter hostility
to President Wilson. as If the writer's
actually believed our entry into the
war to be political play on the part
of the democratic party.
THE letters from women seldom
have failed to throw a passing curse
at the administration; but women
for the most part believe. one must
conclude, that we have for some
malevolent reason entered a war in
which we have no business, for ends
that belong to Europe and not to
America. The letters are not thought
full. They are bitter, personal at
tacks by mothers and wives who see
their dear ones seized as helpless
pawns by bloody fate that seems to
rule the world instead of God.
at is fundamentally important
that American wives and mothers
understand the causes of this
war. 1t is necessary, not for theil
soiace alone, but so that through
this solace they shall be able to back
their men in the most tremendous
ordeal men ever have undertaken. Il
you are sending your man to France
letting him feel that he is a living
sacrifice to the political lust of Mr.
Wilson or to Wall Streets none!
greed, you are doing your man, you
nation and your Preside an unforgiy
able wrong. There is about as muci
in common between the birth throe!
OF fly and those of unknown natur,
when out of chaos the ordered uni
verse was born.
who started the war and what |
It about. A complete answer to tn
second query includes the first.
The thing that makes peopl
choose or submit to a particular kin
OF government is called the philosC
ply Of government. 1t is the work
ing out in their own minds of tn
kind OF government they think h,
man beings ought to have. Som
people believe in soliasm, some
monarchies, some in democraciei
This Ia their political religion as
we're. Each nation of the earth ha
always had a more or less distinC
type of philosophy. But for Ion
time many nations have been movin
independently toward common phi
osophy--the democratic idea Of lie
ting folk rule themselves.
"The Germans have not moved
this direction. More and more the
rule has concentrated in one elias
the military. The reason for this
that Germany believes not in tn
God we know, but in Darwinism.
is a big word, but we must unde
stand IL, for the German race live
by II.
"They believe that animals in
prove in type only through ceaselesl
bloody, ruthless strie among then
selves. Out OF the strife emerge tb
strong. the imperious. the superar
lmals. Human beings grow as do tn
lesser animals. After nation ha
by inner strife produced the supei
man, this super.type must, by thi
great law, become predatory. mus
make ceaseless war on other nation
in order to keep It's type superior
This is the philosophy OF Germany
ruling class.
"As far as military superiorit.
goes, Germany has, without doubt
produced the superman. After cen
turtles OF inner strife II has organized
the nation into an apparently super
machine. BY all the rules OF the
Germany had 70 attack
surrounding nations or retrograde
One CLEANS this philosophy from the
textbooks that the Germans give
their students. from the reiterated
.tatox,anga ~ tbo kataor and from