The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-16

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 ald.
 ElT1HE advent of the United States into
 this war gives the final stamp and
 S seal to the character of the con flict as struggle against military au- tocracy throughout the world.
 The United States of America has a noble tradition which has never been broken, and that is of never being en- gagged in war except for liberty.
 Prussia is not democracy. but the Kaiser promises it will be democracy after the war. think he Is right
 Prussia was an army. It had great in- dustTies highly developed; it had a great educational system; it had its universities; 1t developed it's science. But all these were subordinate to the one great pre- dominant purpose of an all-conqueripg army, which was to intimidate the worla
 The incessant tramping of its legions parade grounds of Prussia had got into the Prussian head.
 The oppression from which Europe had suffered for 50 years paralyzed beneficent activities on all sides which ought to have been devoted and concentrated upon the well of the people. They had to think about this menace, that was there con- stantly as a cloud ready to burst over the land.
 The most characteristic of all Prussian institutions is the Hindenburg line. The Hindenburg line is line drawn in the territories of other people with warning that the inhabitants of those territories shall not cross it at the peril of their lives
 Europe, after enduring this for gener- ations, made up its mind at last that tie Hindenburg line must be drawn along the legitimate frontiers of Germany herself
 The Hindenburg line was drawn along the shores of America, and Americans were told that they must not cross it. America said What is this?" and was told that this was a line beyond which they must not go. Then America said "The place for that line is not the At lantic, but on the Rhine, and we mean to help you roll 1t up."
 And they have started.
 France in the eighteenth century sent her soldiers to America to fight for the freedom and independence of that land. They acquired taste for freedom and they took 1t home and France became free. That Is the story of Russia.
 The Russians engaged in this great war for the freedom of Servia, of Montenegro, of Bulgaria They fought for the freedom of Europe, and they wanted to make their own country free, and they have done 1t.
 According to Hindenburg's computation, America would not be ready for 12 months. He does not know America.
 I think that the German military ad- visers must already begin to realize that this Is another of ths tragic miscalcula- tions which is going to lead them to dis aster and to ruin.
 America has helped us to win the bat tie of Arras-this great battle, Those guns which destroyed the German trenches and shattered the barbed wire-I remember arranging to order from America the ma chimes to make those guns. It was a bad day for military autocracy in Prussia when she challenged the great republic of the west.
 We know what America can do, and we also know that now she is in the war she will do 1t.
 She will wage an effective and success 1 ful war. There is something more impor- tant. She will insure . benefcent peace. The peace conference will settle the destiny of nations. the course of human life. for God knows how many ages. It l would have been tragedy for mankind l if America had not been there. and there with all the influence and the power and | the right which she has now won by fling | ing herself into thls great struggle. ! I can see peace coming now. Not q peace which would be beginning of war.