Weekly journal-miner., 1917-08-15
(From Tuesdays Dailv.)


 they indicate is based largely on the belief that the nation is not in this war for any serious cause of its own, but is in it to assist one set of Euro pean nations to fight their battles against another set of European na- tions. From all we see, hear and read of it, it is evident that this state of mind exists to a degree which, if not corrected. must greatly impair the general war efficiency of the nation. Its correction then is a very import ant necessity for the best and most successful prosecution of the war which is now on, and which must be fought to victory or to defeat, ac- cording to the will and the spirit Of the American people.
 An impaired national will and na- tional spirit will not win this war for the United States. Toward this cor rection, have some ideas gained from three years close reading and close study of the general war situation, which I offer here as contribution to the campaign of education which l observe is being made throughout the country for the unihcation of national sentiment on the war question. From this study, I am positively convinced of the absolute justification for the entry of the United States into this world war on its own account for the defense and protection of its own ma terial and moral interests, and of its principles of liberty and justice, all of which arc seriously threatened. I am equally convinced of the obligation of this nation to enter the war on the side of its present Allies in considera- ton of services rendered by them m the war, which arc and will be ot great benefit to the United States. | For three years these Allies, while actively fighting their own battles. have practically fought the battles Of the United States, with these impor- tant results: First, the greatly re- duced military and economic strength of the common enemy, which must internationally make the war task of | this nation very much less tEan il would otherwise be. Second, the time gained which permitted the nation to make the preparation 1t has made and is making for the great task 1t has undertaken. Third, the valuable milI- tarv and diplomatic knowledge 1t has gained by the costly experience and costly mistakes of the Entente Allies This combination of positive benehts of immcasurablc value represents the vet uncancelled war obligation Of the ! United States to its Allies, and re- garding it. it will probably be truth | ful to say after the war IS over that the first half of Americas part in the great world war was fought without any actual American fighting.
 Since the day in August, 1914, when the first German troops crossed the Belgian border, this has been war against the United States as surely as it is today, and as surely as It has been against any one of the Entente nations of Europe. This IS well proved by the repeated hostile acts of Germany against the nation, and by the hostile things disclosed, which Germany had planned against the United States, but which failed of cN- ccution. Along these disclosures tbcre is satisfactory proof that the United States had long been marked for an important and fruitful victim of the 40 years German military and economic preparation for world con ouest and for world domination. There is reasonable proof that 1t was mart of the German plan that the limited States in its presumably de- fcnseless condition would be forced ,o contribute not only liberally but excessively to the expense of the orcat campaign for Germanizlng the world. That the general plan existed is positively and practically proved by the preparation made Tor 1t, ana by the desperate and partially sue cessful attempts made to execute IL,
 Were t not for the existence of the superior British navy, and Ii tn! French had not at the Marne stopped and turned back the German forces and if the French. British and Bel qians had not since held them back, tbe United States might today be fighting its own war on its own soil as the French have been doing tor three years, and under very much less favorable conditions than the French have been doing 1t. It is reliable lniii- tary information that when the Ger, man invasion of 1914 had reached French soil after a temporary check in Belgium, France had l,5OOoOo trained soldiers equipped and mobll- izcd. and had 100000 trained reserv' ists in her military depots ready for equipment and mobilization. This IS at least 20 times as many trained sol dicrs as the United States could promptly muster for such an cmerg' cncy at any time since the European war began. Yet with this splendid French preparation to begin with there have since been sacrificed on the Western European battle front, many hundreds of thousands of French and British lives, and many billions of French and British treas ure. and still large section of French territory is occupied and is being daily destroyed and despoiled by the German invaders. These are surely enlightening and helpful figures and facts in making an estimate Of what inc United States has escaped by the