Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-09-06

OF neutrals; which has also surprised |
for we expected you to be |
more logical and self-eontained than |
the French. instead OF less so.
Americans believe that the German
people are great people, capable OF
great and good things. They honor
and admire the Germany which finds
her best expression in the literature, |
and science which has Justly |
made you famous. But they distrust !
and abhor the German government !
which has made the name of Germany
infamous. The heroic bravery of the |
German soldiers dying for their Faith.
GRAND, and the heroic fortitude OF the
German women who bear and suffer
ali fail to evoke any enthusiasm in
this country, or in other neutral coun.
tries, because of the stain which the
German military government has put
upon their sacrifices. Your greatest
victories bring no world honor to your
armies because of the cloud of dis.
honor which hangs over every achieve.
ment OF the German military machine.
There is no enthusiasm, and very little
praise. for the captors OF Warsaw and
Wilma, for Americans remember that
II was German soldiers who murdered
innocent hostages from military ne.
cessity." who destroyed much OF Lou
vain from military necessity" who
violated every rule of civilized warfare
and humanity in Belgium from mill
tary necessity" who executed a noble
English nurse from military neces.
sity," who wrecked priceless monu.
ments of civilization in France from
military necessity" who have drop
ped bombs from the sky in the dark
ness upon sleeping women and chill
dren in unfortified places, and slaugh
tered hundreds of innocent non.com'
batants from military necessity" who
sent babes at the breast and their
J innocent mothers shrieking and stran.
Cling to a watery grave in mid-ocean
from military necessity" and who
have defended every barbarous act
every crime against humanity on the
specious and selfish plea that ii was
justified By military necessity" Your
government has robbed your soldiers
of all honor in the eyes OF the world
by making them the instruments OF 4
| military policy which the rest of the
world unanimously condemns as bru-
tai and barbarous.
Ii seems TO thoughtful Americans
| who know Germany and Germans best,
that the highest duty of intelligent
German professors like yourself is
not to attempt the hopeless task OF
converting the rest of the world to an
approval of the methods of the Ger
man government, but rather to us"
your whole influence 10 establish q
| German government which shall have
a decent respect for the opinions OF
the rest of the world, and shall re
store Germany to the place it used tC
have among civilized nations. YOU
greatest enemy is not the Russian, moi
the French, nor the British govern
ment. They might defeat you in war
but they never could take away YOU
honor. Your greatest enemy IN TN
government which has dragged Tn
fair name of Germany in the mire o
dishonor, shocking the moral instinct
of the whole world by acts no othe
civilized country would think OF con
1 hitting. Your greatest enemy Is ID
, government which stiles your ina
I yidual development my making 20
[ the obedient tools OF the state
= which smothcrs your free thought b
. a muzzled press under police contro
which makes your learned men ridlc'
, Ious in the eyes of the world by tran
ing them to blind, unthinking supper
!. of the government and credulouS D
n lief in whatever falsehoods it choose
r. 10 impose upon you for military ar
d political purposes, which hurls you
r. to disastrous war without yo'
q knowledge or consent, and WINE
% brings down upon you the contem
d Of the whole world for crimes y
h would not yourselves commit, b
y which you must forsooth defend IT
G the good of the state"
r. Americans believe that COVER
,. ment which provokes war and d
n ceiyes its people to secure their su
r. mort, should be destroyed: that go
i. crnment which breaks its treaties al
r. murders an innocent neutral nauo
d should be destroyed; that COVER
, mont which slaughters innocent nos
,e ages to prevent sniping by mo
ii whose homes are violently attacke
10 should be destroyed; that COVER
N mcnt which systematically and repe'
4. or,v bombards unfortified towns al
villages. killing hundreds OF innoce
O. women and children, should be
N s,roved. that n government whi
" ....r,,ed naseenRer ghiI