Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1917-10-05
WHY WE ARE AT WAR.

Germany has forced America, rs it
has practically forced the entire
world, to defend itself by arms. We
are fighting this war because Ger
many made war upon US. America is
peaceful Nation; we have no lust
for conquest, no desire for annexation
of territory; we are defending our
selves against Germany because the
Imperial Government entered upon q
program which meant the destruction
of all American institutions.
When we finally recognized that
! Germany was waging war upon us we
had seen more than 225 Americans,
| among them many women and chill
dren, killed by German submarines;
hospital ships had been sunk and un-
firtified towns had been bombed and
bombarded. Medals had been struck
in honor of the sinking of the Lus-
tania, the murderous act by which SO
many of our men, women, and chill
dren, lost their lives. German officials
had treated the United States, a neu-
trail nation, as an enemy. Strikes were
organized III this country. plants were
blown up, pro-German publications
| were founded and subsidized, and
hatred of America was systematically
| sought to be inculated among our
forelgn-born inhabitants. Every effort
| was made to involve us in trouble
with japan and Mexico. Our repeated
protests were met with promises and
explanations which were little better
! than insults.
The Imperial German Government
/ finally proclaimed the unrestricted
destruction of neutral ships upon
the high seas. 1t was the notification
to the United States that our people
were no longer sovereign, and that
If they would sail the seas in safety
we must conform to conditions laid
! down by Governmentment that de-
| he'd international law, humanity and
elemantal morality.
A policy of terrorism has ben svste-
| matically applied by the Imperial
German Government since the out
break of the European war. Treaties
that stood in the way of German
militaristic plans have ben disregar-
ded, women and children have been
treated with indescribable brutality,
the noblest works of art have been
destroyed, and prisoners have been
abused and maltreated and civilian
populations massacred and deported
This is why America has gone into
this war in defense of American honor
and American rights. To have done
anything else would have been to sur
render our sovereignty, and we would
have ben forced in the end to fight a
conscienceless and rapacious military
autocracy-an autocracy which is in
this war avowedly for indemnities
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, and the control of
the world. Our success means that
our children and our children's child
rem will be able to enjoy peace.
Buy Liberty Bond, get behind
your Government and shorten this
war. This is your fight. Our men are
giving their lives; you are only asked
Newport.
Naturally, with such serious work
on all sides, the character of Newport
has changed completely. And the
cause for this change was the visit of
inc lhe "U-53." The people of Newport
mad to house and care for the VIC
inns OF this merciless raider OF the
seas. They are, however, not pre-
pared for this sort of thing, and on
reaiizlng 1T they built up, without
any loss Of time, a very efficient Red
cross organization, and now everyone
Is engaged In some kind of war relief
work. 'e'oi