Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-04-02
WAR;!
We are at war!

The moment we have dreaded,
and hoped against, and STAYED
off time and again has arrived.
We must grid on our armor and
march forth to do battle against
the archhend of the world. 1t is
an augury fraught with i'll for
Germany that there is no holding
back in America. The nation
that was supposed to be divided
against itself in the event of a
break with the Imperial Govern
ment of Berlin stands calmly,
but solidly and confidently be-
hind the President, ready at his
beck and call.
We are entering upon no light
task. The awful decision that
has just been made was not of
our seeking. History holds no
such example of national for
bearance as ours has been since
Germany first outraged civiliza-
tion by her murderous assault
upon Belgium. 1t is to our credit
that we turned the other cheek,
not once, but repeatedly, until
patience ceased to be a virtue.
There can be but one result.
AT whatever cost the United
States must come out of this
contest with. credit to our arms
and the eagles of victory perched
upon our banners.
How extensive our part in the
hostilities will be only the course
of events will develop. Perhaps
the war may be blessing in dis
guise. If it leaves us with an
army and navy of sufficient size
TO give any foreign power pause
for consideration before entering
the lists against us at the con-
clusion of the European conflict,
it will have been worth while. If
we are called upon to spill our
blood and treasure to put down
the self-appointed Prussian over
lord of the world we shall have
fought on the side of humanity.
and Our sacrifices will not have
been in vain.
We enter the war at peculiar
ly auspicious moment, notwith-
standing our unquestioned lack
of preparedness for immedite
participation in the conflict. Our
National Guardsmen are no
longer green militia. They are
soldiers of the first line, trained
and hardened by border duty.
Our long-talked of appropria-
tions have been made for the en-
largement of the navy and the
increase and reorganization of
the Regular Army. We are al
most ready, even, to accept uni
versal military service. Our in
dustries are. on war basis and
developed to a high state of eff
cheney and immensity of pro-
duct in the manufacture of mu-
nitions and military supplies in
general. We have the men, also
and the money, the courage and
the will to do. We have "the
maklngs" of the greatest and most
effective military machine the
world has ever seen = and onlv
the need is required to see il
brought into being.
We go into this war with no
desire for conquest. The aims
of the Allies and our own are the
same only as they are directed
toward the defeat of militarism
as a ruling force in the world
We do not desire to see
Germany laid waste. We have
no quarrel with the German peo-
pie. If we have one feeling above
another for them it is that of
pity. But we do have a quarrel
with Prussian militarism and
Prussian ruthlessness and it
must be settled now and for all
time.
1t is with these convictions
and in this spirit that the Am
erlcan people enter upon a war
that has been forced upon them.
What lies between them and the
end of it they know not. That
there may be dark and gloomy
days ahead everybody antici-
pates. That in the end the sun
will break forth in renewed