The Washington times., 1917-06-05

the Home Club Of the Interior DEPTH
I that she would respect the neutral
flag and the rights OF neutrals, and
we held our anger and outrage in
check. But now we see that she was
holding US off with fair promises
until she could build her huge fleet
OF submarines. For when spring
came she blew her promise into the
air, just as at the beginning she had
torn up that scrap OF paper Then
| we saw clearly that there was but
one law for Germany, her will to
rule.
Violated Our Confidence.
We are fighting Germany because
she violated our confidence. Paid Ger
man spies flled our cities. officials
of her government, received as the
guests Of this nation, lived with us
to bride ana terrorize, defying our law
and the law OF nations.
We are lighting Germany because,
while we were yet her friends. the
only great power that still held hands
of, she sent the Zimmerman note.
calling TO her aid Mexico, our south
ern neighbor, and hoping TO allure
Japan, our western neighbor, into war
against this nation of peace.
The nation that would do these
things proelaims the gospel that Gov
eminent has no conscience. And this
doctrine cannot live, tor else democ-
racy must die. For the nations OF
the world must keep faith. There can
be no living for us in a world where
the state has no conscience, no rev.
erence for the things OF the spirit, no
respect for International law, no
mercy for those who fall before its
force. What an unordered world!
Anarchy! The anarchy OF the rival
wolf packs.
We are fighting Germany because
in this war feudalism Is making its
last stand against oncomlng democ-
racy. We see Il now. This Is a war
against an old spirit, an ancient, out
worn spirit. II is a war against feu-
dalism, the right Of the castle on
the hill to rule the village below.
II Is war for democracy. the right
OF all to be their own masters. Let
Germany be feudal II she will. But
she must not spread her system over
a world that has outgrown II. Feudal-
ism plus science. thirteenth century
plus twentieth, this Is the religion of
the mistake Germany that has linked
itself with the Turk. that has, too,
adopted the method Of Mahomet. THE
state has no conscience. THE state
can do no wrong" With the spirit
OF the fanatic she believes this gospel
and that II IL her duty to spread II
by force. With poison gas that makes
living a hell. with submarines that
sneak through the seas tn slyly muir
der non-combstants, with dirigibles
that lombard men and women while
they sleep, with a perfected system
OF terrorization that the modern
world first heard OF when German
troops entered China, German feudal- |
ism is making war upon mankind.
Would Live In Terror.
Let this old spirit OF evil have its
way and no man will live in America |
without paying toll 10 It, in manhood |
and in money. This spirit might de-
msnd Canada from a defeated, navy
less England. and then our dream Of |
peace on the north would be at an
end. We would live, as France has
lived for forty years. In haunting |
terror.
America speaks for the world in |
hghting Germany. Mark on a map
those countries which are Germany's |
allies and you will mark but four.
running from the Baltic through Aus
trta and Bulgaria to Turkey. All the |
other nations, the whole globe around, |
are In arms against her or are unable |
70 move. There Is deep meaning in |
this We fight with the world for an
honest world, in which nations keep
their word, for a world in which ma
lions do not live by swaEker or BY
threat, for world in which men
think OF the way in which they can
conquer the common crueIties Of ma
ture instead OF inventing more horrI-
Die cruelties to infiict upon the spIrIt
and body OF man. for a.worId in which
the ambition of the philosophy Of a
Few shall not make miserable all man
kind. for a world in which the man
Is held more precious than the ma
chine the System or the state.