The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1917-08-27
WHY WE ARE AT WAR

Hearers as He Told of Germany's
Dreams to Float Her Flag Over
the People of Every Nation on the
G'obe-Music Furnished by East
Lumberton Band
A crowd which filled the court
room to its capacity heard Judge w.
M. Bond Of Edenton speak on the
world war, now we became involved
in it, and our duty in the great strug
gle into which, without desire or fault
on our part, the United States has
been drawn, at the court house here
Friday evening.
Music for the occasion was furn-
ished by the East Lumberton band.
Before the address a number Of pa
triotic selections were rendered,
which brought about a patriotic spir-
it. i
The speaker was introduced by Mr..
! 7. L. Johnson of the local bar and
chairmanbf the army exemption board
troductory remarks, Mr.. Johnson de-
clared that no man in the State was
! better fitted to deliver a message on
the world war than Judge Bond, and
it was not long after he had begun
) his mastery address before the aud
ience as whole was ready to agree
/ with Mr.. Johnson.
Il The speaker spoke Of the princi-
( pies upon which our government was
!, constructed, the great figure, which
in the history Of nations it has
r drawn, and emphasized the fact that
, it has never fired a shot save to
j create, protect and preserve human
j liberty. He contrasted our system
;, with the brutal idea of military des-
;. potism, the controlling idea of Prus-
: sian rule. He reviewed the causes
e of the present conflict and assert
il ed that it was based upon a dream
n of world control and desire on the
o part. Of the German government to
j. float her flag triumphant over the
: people of every nation of the globe.
T In vivid colors the speaker portrayed
the violations of solemn agreements
0 with other nations on the part of
7, Germany, and recounted the indigni-
: ties which were thrust upon US in
: denying our rights in the use Of the
l. seas, and in drowning moo
e combatant men and helpless women
and children of our country. HI
A. showed that the United States was
h obliged to fight or else furl old glory
at and see droop and die every flower
ct of American freedom.
n The speaker said in part:
c. at may be well to speak of exist
~ ing conditions. Fate has brought u
e. face to face with a distressing sit
n, uation. After our government wa
rs constructed, and our independence
y had bee won by success in the Rev
es olution, our nation began it's career
ne "The War of 1912 was fought witt
n England and terminated. About
ir quarter century later we had wa
of with Mexico. That ended by estab
OF fishing American sovereignty to tn
he banks of the Rio Grande. In 1856
er we had the War Between the States
e. 1t closed by settlement of the slav
or cry question and denial of the righ
ut of the Southern States to seced
". from the Union in 1866. From the
e. until our trouble with Spain fey
ne years ago, which ended in liberatio
ng of theIsle ofCuba, the pearl of the Car
in ribean sea, from Spanish cruelty, W
he had peace until a few months agt
w. The weapons used in those contest
ILL., were playthings compared with~pr
bs ent day methods of destruction.
"The framers of this governmer
me believed in America for American
,ss and fancied, that with 5000 mile
S. Of ocean on one side and 10000 Q
we the other, we would sleep with OF
dreams undisturbed by European {
in Asiatic complications. Submarir
,as perfection has dissipated that dis
tn ance and furled those watery curtain
of immunity.
ON ave stretched our arm across tt
ith Pacific and gathered in the Hawaiia
Isles, and went further over the DO
E. ON of the mighty sheet and acquire
ith the Philippines.
ng eve have fought no war with ar
foreign power that was not to pr
serve the freedom Of the seas, tt
great highways of nations and
ERIK preserve the rights and liberties
top men. We have fought no war vii
,ng any power that was provided vii
Of present day equipment for conque
out and destruction.
end "Based upon the broad fundame
AXE tai doctrine that man was capable
der self government, and upon the flu
vas ther theory that every man shou
ing have equality Of opportunity, to e
led Joy the blessings of liberty and ha
cm- piness, our government has nev
7as. fired a cannon that did not echo
eet desire to maintain the rights of m
ost to freedom and liberty.
he "Cutting through the heart
1im Europe and crossing the Asiatic be
hen der, for years there has existed
great government whose whole theo
of national existence has been four
.om ed upon the so-called divine right
certain men to rule by reas
of hereditary privilege. Th
luce government is the German E7