Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-06-15
THE PAcIFIsT,s ANSWER.

QS Tue SCTenSCQ OF the enemy.
THE PAcIFIsT's ANSWER.
In a remarkably clear, though equa
Y blunt manner, Alfred w. Dawso
ums up the situation of America wit
egard to the war and pays his r
poets to the pacifists as a class wit
he kaiser at heart or with hi
through purchase"
While this is, perhaps, somewhs
road assertion, it Is another way {
aging what must be said and repeate
America just now: ths
very citizen must be either activel
Working for American victory or invit
uspicion as a German sympathizer
The Courier has said repeated.
ince America formally entered tn
var, that there no longer is any plac
a this nations scheme of things #
he passive patriot, and that ever
american today must be loyal to tn
'oint of readiness to make e1trem
acrifice for his country, or he mus
xpect to face the charge OF disloyalt.
Mr.. Dawson's blunt presentation {
he same argument follows:
This war is fight to the finish
between democracy and autocracy.
There Is no neutral ground. II one
will not fight for democracy then
he Is an aid and abettor Of autoc-
racy. This war Is between Ger
many and the United States. The
fact that Belgium, Serbia, and
France were the first to be struck
simply means that 1t was flrst
necessary for the kaiser, the up
holder Of autocracy, to subdue and
annex those countries which stood
in the way before undertaking
the subjugation of the richest and
most coveted Of all prizes-the
United States of America.
The United States Of America.
which is the chief upholder and
defender of democracy, therefore
must now look to her laurels as
she never looked to them before.
She must unite with all Of the
countries now at war against
autocracy and cooperate with
them In every way to overthrow
autocracy at this time or she may
never again have the opportunity
to do so, for if the combined dem
ocratic countries Of the world to-
day. as they are now organized,
cannot whip the kaiser, how can
they ever expect to overthrow
autocracy when attacked one at a
time? They must. in a word. unite
and fight together or they will be
plucked and die separately.
II they do not dethrone autoc-
racy at this time their chance will
probably be gone forever, for. I'm.
whipped in this war, the kaiser is
the victor and little by little after
peace Is declared he will gradually
absorb more and more power until
he will be in a position to compel
all of the democratic countries in
the world to disarm while he him
self would continue to increase his
armament to a point where his
mailed fist would be strong enough
to punch It's policy and govern
ment onto all the peoples of the
worid-hepce the death of democ-
racy and liberty.
There can be no virtue in disgui
ne the seriousness OF the present 81
alton. Every day brings new ev
ence 10 prove that the German en-
error planned the present war with a
be thoroughness for which his race
and with the ultimate ali
I bringing all the world under Prl.
ian domination.
Had he attacked America ffrst ther
,ould have been no pacifst in thi
ountry now to ask: What are "
ghting for?" And the sole and simpl
eason for his failure to attack Amer
a first was a geographical reason
belgium and France Lay in his path
o did the British navy. They hav
ontinued to keep him busy and Anne
"a has the opportunity which its a
les did not have, OF sighting the battl
4 Europe instead OF in America.
The theory ON which the Prussia
uler proceeded In his long and elabo
te preparations for the war is becon
az So clear to the student OF recen
nd current history that there will nc
emain for long the single excuse {
behind which the pacifis
an hide. Only Saturday the informs
lon came from Copenhagen that PAL
Ierman brochure which is being Giro,
ated widely through Germany draw
picture OF the Prussian empire {
Thich the radical annexationist
ream as the reward &c German VII
DRY and the embodiment Of what the
all a German peace.
This book. which Is for German COZ
umptfon only. of course, paints tn
arkest sort OF future for the TIE,
onic nations in the event Of a victor
Or the allies and declares the Germa
eople will be bent under terrtbl
,eight of debt if they are compelle
0 submit to a peace without linden
ity.
Then 1t outlines in detail the pal
herman plah for the subjugation of a
he rest of Europe, the establishment
f protectorates and colonies, the mi
AIRY and naval domination of tn
,ortd and a vast program OF annex,
ion and seizure.
Obviously, this program includes
var of conquest in and against Are
ga, for the western hemisphere and II
aaterial riches could not expect
scape attack when Germany shout
old all the rest of the world With
ts iron grasp. 1t would have been III
Use to include this portion of the pr
ram in the address to the Germa
ublic, which desires an early peaC