TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1917-11-14
WAR PROPAGANDA.
From The N ew Republic

Gu ICSCLliy many lSLlSIS IOH
readers who are troubled by GER
tain phases of the foreign and
domestic policy of the govern
ment. These letters come al
most entirely from people who
favored the declaration Of war
against Germany last April and
who have been no less in favor
ever since of vigorous and whole
hearted military, naval and eco
nomic cooperation with the AL
lies for the purpose Of prevent
ing German victory. But they
do not want the vast power
which their nation is now Great
ing exerted exclusively for the
purpose of preventing German
victory. They were converted
to the employment of such a
dangerous and double edged
weapon as war partly because OF
President Wilson's previous pro-
paganda in favor of international
organization, and because they
saw no way Of effectively bring
ing the influence of this country
to bear on behalf Of lasting
peace save by participation in
the risks, the sacrifices and the
labor Of defeating German ag-
gression. What troubles them
now is a doubt whether the dip
lomatic management Of the wal
by the American government,
and the propaganda recently as
ISOLATED with it, is calculated
either to promote lasting peace
or to extinguish German militar-
ISM and this doubt has been
REINFORCED by the extent to
which the government has re-
Gently been setting up a coer-
Give censorship over public opin-
ion. The doubters quote Presi-
dent Wilson's words, Gust as
we fight without rancor and
selfish object we shall, /.
feel confident, conduct our oper-
atoms as belligerents without
passion and ourselves observe
with proud punctilio the prin-
ciples OF right and fair play we
profess to be fighting for; and
they ask in all seriousness how
far the American nation is being
urged to conduct its war-like
operations without rancorous
passion and how far its govern
ment is itself proudly and pune
tiliously observing It's advertised
principles Of right and fair play.
II these doubters raise any
question as to the wisdom Of the
declaration by this country of
war on Germany or as to the
overwhelming importance Of re-
sisting u~ncompromisingly the
triumph Of the German military
party. The New Republic has no
sympathy with their criticism
The price Of American partici-
patton may be heavier than was
anticipated some months ago,
but the increased cost is out
weighed by the clearest possible
testimony to its salutary conse-
quences. When the decision had
to be made, there was no way of
being sure what the effect would
be on the outcome Of the war Of
an unrestricted submarine cam
paign. No one could certainly
tell whether or not the conni-
vance at its barbarities by this
country would or would not be
equivalent to an underwriting OF
German victory. We now know
that it probably would have en-
abled the Germans to win. The
combination Of the submarine
campaign, the Russian revolt
ton and American refusal to re-
sist the former and to support
the latter would have reduced
France, Great Britain and Italy
to a struggle against odds which
could hardly have failed to re-
suit either in a war Of general
determination or in a treaty Of
peace favorable to Germany.
Those who opposed American
Intervention are finally condem-
ned by the manifest practical
consequences Of American abb
stention. By clearing the way
for a triumph Of the military
caste in Germany it would have
left democracy throughout the
world with its back to the wall
and condemned to adopt perma.
nently instead of temporarily the
handicap Of miIitarism. In no
country would the democratic
movement have been more de-
than in America. For
we would have been isolated,
distrusted and friendless in a
more than ever militar-