The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1917-08-09
BY George Ade of the Vigiiantes


IL is not because we have our doubts.
but because the more judicially and
cold-blooded and impartially we
cross-examine ourselves, the more ey-
ident it becomes that we either had
TO go into this war or surrender our
charter as a free people.
Two prodigious facts stood out be-
fore us at the beginning of the strug-
gle. All the sophistries and indirec-
tions of the diplomats. all the green
books and blue books and white books
flooding the world, all of the libraries
that will be written in explanation
and defense never can remove or even
alter these two mountain-peaks OF
truth.
One fact was that Germany delib-
erately forced the war because it
seemed that the fortunate Day had
arrived when the continent of Europe
The other fact was that Germany
deliberately broke her word of honor
and outlawed herself by the brutal
invasion of Belgium
With these two facts looming in
front of them, the American people
Immediately and instinctively turned
against Germany. Our sympath:es
were given whole heartedly 10 the AL
lies because they couldn't go any
where else The issues were too plain.
The evidence was too unmistak ka Bile.
Great Britain and France did not lead
us. We were led by an old-fashioned
and fair play.
After that we sold food and mu-
nitions to the enemies of Germany
The Germans have always insisted
shells anywhere in the world at any
time. Our soldiers in the Spanish
American war were killed by German
bullets fired from German guns. Every
Filipino insurrecto hiding in ambush
to get one of our men carried Ger
man weapon that had been smuggled
to him.
We had a right to sell our products
to Great Britain and France. And
now. thank goodness, we can say
openly what We have felt all the time.
that it was our duty TO supply them
With half of the world on fire, a
good many dark places are being IT,
Illuminated. This war has vindicated
British policies and crowned France
with glory that never can perish.
Germany with all of her cleverness,
any Contingency has persistent;y
blundered in her guessing as TO other
nations. Germany played every other
country in the world for either a fool
resist because her army was disor-
ganized and her people lacked heroic
fiber Belgium would yield IL it saw
an invincible army crossing the from
tier. Great Britain dared not come
in. If she did, ireland would rebel.
Egypt would uprise, there would be
civil war in India, the Beers would
fight for Germany, and Canada might
be seized by the United States Rus
sia was to be bamboozied and corrupt
ed. The Balkan states were to be had
for the picking.
The qualities which enable a people
TO wage war uccessfully-tenacity
obedience to superiors, unfaItering
loyalty, the willing spirit of sacrifice,
the ability to husband resources and
concentrate energies-these were not
TO be found anywhere except in Ger
many.
The disappointment of Germany has
been the triumph of democracy. We
find the London cockney fighting
alongside of the Canadian, the New
Zealander, the Arab from Soudan. the
irishman from Cork. Sikhs and
Ghourkas from India. and Boer Dutch
men from South Africa Which means
that Great Britain is on the square.
We know that France is ON the
square and We have very definite
suspicion that we are trying tc be on
the square. There isn't reasonable
doubt on the horizon. We arc lined
up with the friends of humanity
against the archdevils of despotism.
If the Lusitania had not boen sunk;
If our men, women and children had
not been murdered; if our flag had
not been fired upon: If We had not re-
ceived insolent orders to tie our ships
to the docks; If spies and agents had
not blown up our factories; II Mexi-
co and .JaDan had nOt bean nrood -,