Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-07-10

A noted Dutch publicist and educator,
who asks that bis name be withheld, ap
peals through the Vigilantes for right
against might. he writes In personal
letter:
"Dear Vigilantes: Here 10 Holland
er's view Of your war. / wish 1t were
Hollands war, also, but II isn't and fol
the present Il can't be. should be glad
II you could give this little appeal oil
mine wide circulation. It might help
Americans TO zee somewhat more clear.
ly than they do now the great issues fol
which they are fighting"
And them
want this to be Americas war.
The reason 10 simple. This terrible
conflict should not merely be struggle
for victory. II ought to be tho lasting
triumph over that most dreaded Of oil
human ecollections-the century old In.
heritanoe Of Europe's political crimes.
Let me try and show you the back.
ground against which see this war. ]
was born and educated In ono OF the
small neutral countries Of the old CONT.
nent. From earliest childhood was
surrounded BY ghastly reoollections OF
the past. Not mere vague rumors OF
years of starvation followed by the
plenty of conquest, but grave realities
many of my immediate ancestors. In q
little cupboard were the buttons worn
by my maternal great-grandfather who
was dragged to Moscow by the hungry
pride of Napoleon. In the room of my
parents there hung the picture Of my
psternal great-grandfather, whose small
fortune was swept away when the for
eign despot who destroyed our national
independence confiscsted every penny
we possessed. At school 1 learned my
geography and on every continent of
Asia and Africa and America It was the
same dreary story OF large Empire
grown rich at the cost of its weak neigh
Dor. When I was 16 the war for the In
dependence Of the Trsnsvssl began. We,
boys in Holland, saw the backwssh of
this uneven conflict. The noble figure Of
President Steyn of the Free State, q man
like full.grown tree but bent down and
broken from hardship and suffering
pushed along In little carriage like
helpless child, told us what It meant
when the weak dared to offend the
mighty.
So the story continued. Our futile
anger at the conqueror was Offset by the
indignation We felt against the potentate
who professed his love for the struggling
Beers while he provided their 'enemies
with elaborate plans Of campaign and
valuable military advice.
Indeed, It seemed that in this world
there was no right. Might alone was the
Lord of Hosts.
That was fifteen years ago. Not
quarter of lifetime. Yet the world
has changed. A ray of light appeared
along the horizon when the conqueror of
that day proved to be generous friend
willing to undo the harm of a mistaken
political faction. South Africa, will.
ing and enthusiastic member of q union
of Independent dominions, taught the
world that the old order of things had
ceased to be. France, once the destruc-
tive force of our continent, aspired to be
the leader In all those arts which make
life worth living. And when the brute
force of militsrism was turned against
the undefended individuality of small
state and the foul visitation Of war was
forced upon unwilling Belgium, the rest
of Europe combined to uphold the great
new principle which told Us that the
ethics and morals OF the individual
should be those Of the nation.
That was three years ago. And now
America las gone In. At last We may
expect the political and spiritual regen-
Grafton of the human race. For when
We fight the Germans We are fighting a
patton composed Of 80 many million
men and women. We are fighting an
ideal. The individual enemy IL negli.
gIble detail. Our guns are not aimed at
bis trenches and bis Notifications. They
intend to destroy bis ideal, that same
principle of might above right which
other and older nations have successfully
discarded as unworthy of common
wealth of free men.
For over century the nations OF
Europe-and not the least those small
nations who can compete IN matters Of
the spirit but not In the figures Of
military statistics-have looked up to
America for their inspiration. America
was the tangible protest against the
political conceptions of Europe. Amer
lea desired no territorial gains. America
wished for no forced suppression Of the
Individual. 1t only desired to give all
mon an even chance and an equal start.
But America was far away. We In
Europe saw 1t only through the distort-
ing haze of the oceans distance. Until
this moment.
America has at last gone across the
ocean to help Us realize our hopes and
our dreams. II they come true, II
Americas will remain true to her orig.
inal mission, the gratitude of future
generations will know this conflict as
the crusade for the lasting ideal.
And they will call 1t "America's War;"