Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-08-23

German attitude Of mind. Accustomed as many q
interpret the finer Ideal life If Germany, We could no
like Eucken, Ilurnack, Hermann, and l,ieSSmann
without reserve lend themselves to tn" defense of Il
worthy or their words as We had understood them.
Against our will we have been diSillusIoned.
into war. we have had war thrust upon It's. A chail
over which we hrve had no control has brought
home TO the Americans. anxious to maintain their
faith In Germany, the conviction that Americas
sovereignty was being outraged, its people killed,
Its inner peace deliberately attacked, and its lnsti-
intions, founded in sacrifice and offered to the
world. not only desplsed but in danger of destruc-
ton.
Germany has forced America, as 1t has forced
almost the entire world. to defend itself by arms.
Nobody but those suffering from myopic idealiSln
sympathies can see anything else. Some of us
have suffered when the scales have fallen-cut
away by facts. AT last we see clearly. We have
not been drawn into the war by capitalism, or BY
commercialisln, or by national policy. For months
we have been living in n state of war, deliberately
planned by 4 nation whose leaders for ten years
have been preparing some day to tight America
and who have counted our good nature as cow
nrdicc, our unpreparedness as a lack OF national
sclf-respect.
Here are the facts:
We are fighting this war, in the first place, be-
cause Germany made war upon us.
For years she has sought to build up in Amer
lea q community more loyal to herself than to the
United States. Money has been lavishly spent In
Germanistic societies, alliances, and associations
to win the admiration and loyalty of American
citizens. Our universities have been fattered,
our professors have been hOnored for this req
son. PRISE of the kaiser has been inserted even
In the spelling books of our public school system.
Spies have been everywhere.
When the war came in 1914 German officials,
many Of them In high diplomatic positions, treat
ed the United States, a neutral nation, as ii 1t
were IN enemy. Pro-ierman publications. were
founded and subsidized, strikes were organized,
manufacturing plants were blown up piots
against nations with whom we had treaty rela'
tions were formed within our borders. bombs
were placed on ships in our ports. Hatred OF
America was Systematically disseminated through
Germany and efforts were made to involve us IN
trouble with Japan and Mexico.
In reply to our repeated protests against these
and other acts Of Germany. TO be mentioned pres
entity, We have received promises and explana-
tions which were little less than Insults. The
treaty that had existed almost the entire lie OF
the American republic was set mt nausht ana
efforts were made to coerce us into IaVor"ple
notifications Of its terms.
The right of trade with belligerents, which Ger
many had always claimed, even to the benefit OF
our enemy in the war with Spain, and which at
Germapy's own ~inslstence Is universally recos-
uized in international law, was treated as the
violation of our neutrality and alliance with hr
enemies. And, finally, the proclamation OF unre'
stricted destruction Of neutral ships upon the
high seas was q notification to the United states
that 1t was no longer n sovereign people, Dut
that II 1t would sail the seas IN safety IT mus!
conform to conditions set by n power that defied
international law, humanity, and elemental NOR
atty.
In the second place we are defending ourselves
ara,nst Germany because the German state ha'
entered upon n program which means the des'r"c
ton Of democratic institutions.
The prussianization Of Germany means that I'LL
policy Of Prussia to carry on economic anu w
i,hcal expansion by war Is to be extende'
throughout the entire world.
Wa recognize that there were once. and W
dare believe even now that there are, two Gef
manvs. one liberal and the other an autocIac
bnsel on militarism. The struggle between ines
two forces since 1915 has been a steady suDjusa
ton Of liberalism In PRUSSIA anu u .."S ~,
mnn states to the will Of a Prassian leuo"i II,
hIitv Representative and responsible govern
mani in INV true sense Of the word mas pee
fcrcht Nv Prussian leaders relentlessly. E"uc'
Hon has been made n creature OF a"tocr"cS ~
source Of international hatred.
The same fate las met every lana fruss.u.o.
has touched, Austria was beaten INTO sup'"'oa ''
IN 1894. and nil the other German sta'es W..
made practically subject to.the will OF the Hone.
zolierns between that date and 1870. France ~,
robbed aud inundated. The Balkan states sor wr'
kept in perennial war In the Interests S Of me ,ra"
exhaustion. Bohemia and Poland have oesn ~ ire"
a with the snme disregard Of popn'ar llS"'. y.
has been Alsdce-L lorraine. turkey e os.am1 m,
.o, ~ tho kaiser. A great mitttarist'c' "n
ao,ncrotic state like southern Germany su
ssry,ent to Prussia, has been sturted ana al !"