Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-09-17

Every American knows the causes ct
our war with the German government. Yet
this course would he incomplete if it did
not contain a brief review of the events
that finally forced u into war. when At
last there remained mo other means OF
defending our rights"
The soldier Of an autocratic kaiser MAY
fight best when he understand, least Of
the true meaning of the war. To t,ll hiG
the facts would be- 10 chill hi enthusiasm
But the citizen soldier of a democracy j.
entitled a. know tor what purposes h. en-
tiers the struggle. lie fights best when
he -cc~ most clearly why he fi.hi-.
The resolution Of congress declaring \
state ~ war april q. 1917 expresses the
immediate cau>o ia these few words:
THE Imperial German government ha>
committed repeated acts Of war against
the government and the people Of the Unit
cd States of America"
Chief among the acts ~ war were III.
tacks BY German submarines on Amer
can ships and on unarmed merchant ships
of other nations carrying American pas
scngeT>. "Nc~~clS Of every kind said
the president in hi~ address to consre-, ON
April 2. 1917. "Whatever their flag. their
character. their cargo. their destination
their crrand. nave been ruihle>-lv sent Ia
the bottom without warning and without
thought - mercy for those on board. the
vessels 81 friendly neutral~ along with
those of bclligerent-. Even hospital ships
and ships carrying relief "a the ~orely be-
rcavcd and stricken people 81 Belgium
though the latter were provided with safe
conduct through the prescribed areas ~
the German government itself and were
distinguished bN unmI~iakable marks of
identity. have been sunk with the same
Reckless lack Of compassion or ~ prin-
lciple. The present German submarine
warfare against commerce j. a warfare
against mankind"
GERMAN INSULTS AND AGGRESSIONS
There were other acts of hostility in adj
dliIon To the submarine warfare. In nj
Flag Day address delivered 1t Washing
ton on June IL. 1917. the president
summed zap the events that brought IN
war a. follows:
II y PLAIN enough how we were forced
INTO the war. The extraordinary INSULT
and aggre~~ion~ 1T the Imperial German
government left IL no ~clf-rc>pecting
choice but to take up arm in defense of
our rights a. a free pcoplc and of orr
honor ~ 4 sovereign government. The
military masters 81 Germany denied n the
right 4" he neutral They filled our m
-u~pcrtIng communities with viciou, ,plcS
ana con>pIrator~ and sought 10 corrupt the
opinion oi our people in their own behalf
v hen they found that they could not 10
maj. Their agents diligently spread srdi-
non amongst IL and sought Ia draw our
own citizens from their aIleyiancc-and
some ~ those agents were men connected
WIN Inc official embassy Of the German
government Itself here in orr capital
meg sought by violence to destroy our in
d~uNtric~ and arrest our commerce Tho,
''""l \" lnriie Mexico ~ take IN arm.
against ~ and ~ draw japan into \ ho.
me alliance with her-and thai n., n, ~
"'i'''l"h' PM bN suggestion from the for.
cgn "iiIrf IN Berlin. They impudcntly de-
"'e" a. me use IT the high sea- and -,
l"'lcdlN executed their threat that ,b,y
""hld send 4" their death any N .ur 49,,
pc VIII" 'cnturcl 10 approach he co,.t.
of Europe
LIBERTY AND SAFETY INVOLVED
lei even TIM TIA ~ extraordinary -
>""> ana dggrc~-ion~ does not tell the