Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-06-05
rhr REASON.

THE RkASON.
n h we'll Just at this time, fo1
Americans to ask themselves why
thSlr nation is at war, and why 1tt
nlsn are ordered to the front.
It should not be necessary. perhaps
and h would not be necessary II II
weEp no& for certain stubbornly unpa
trfoiso individuals who claim the
Yhht OF free speech" to urge young
rneu AGAINST registering for the draft
and to harangue n.obs such as that
which Rathered In Chicago Sunday
when one Of the leading spirits de.
clared American working men should
not "go to war against German work
ing men who have done them no harm
but are fighting for liberty"
We are at war against lawlessness
OF the most degraded type-lawless'
ness personiied by Germany's emper'
or who claims the protection OF the
Creator with one breath and with the
next praises the murder OF women and
HELPLESS children, the sinking OF hos
pital ships and the abandonment OF
wounded men and of nurses to die In
I the sea. He praises the warfare that
has beggared and oppressed the civ
ilians Of Belgium and northern France
and laid waste priceless and historic
ecathedrals.
/ He praises the butchery of defense
less humans, the violation Of interna-
tional laws and the laws Of civilization.
He praises the revival of frightful
spirit of outlawry which the world
fondiy hoped had been obliterated
These outrages are his work, for II
rv{f
they are committed. He and his prede-
cessors have instilled into generations
Of the German people the spirit OF nib
itarism. have planned with extreme
craft and cunning for great war nor
world rule. And having inaugurated
that war they have thrown aside do
cency, their shell Of civilization and
all regard for human rights. in su-
}. nresna- and. -hEptishe effort to dominate
their fellow men.
The ramihcations Of the elaborate
spy system which the kaiser and his
government established in the United
States long before the first shot was
fired in the European war are known
only in part BY Americans. The tricks
and deceit the German agents prac-
ticed in their campaign to create
hatred for England and France among
the American people are only begin
ming to come to light. The present
opposition to the draft which is being
traced to German influence is a part
Of the most ingenious and extensive
war program ever devised
Having invaded Belgium and
France. the German government was
only at the flrst stage in It's war plans.
The quick victory over the French and
English armies which was expected
would have been but the preliminary
for invasion Of the United States. Else
why should spies have been sent to
this country long before the first open
act of war?
Fortunately for America and for the
world, the armies Of the allies have
withstood the German attacks and
have even forced the invaders back
within the lines they established so
proudly and 80 ruthlessly more than
two years ago. But the kaiser's re-
sources are too great for this temper
airy victory to be permanent His cum
ming system Of preparedness for this
struggle has given him the power now
to drag trained lighting men from the
tasks Of peace and put millions
into the field against the depleted
armies Of his opponents.
And unless the United States goes
70 the aid Of our allies the time will
come speedily when our own unaided
armies must rally to defend our own
shores from invasion and aggression.
This is the practical view; and there
"a another There is the duty which
o~yoo %o hnrso1f fo hH,v,o nify
to civilization, to the men who found
ed the nation and the men who fought
to preserve It's integrity and its good
name. This duty impels us to oppose
lawlessness and inhumanity. 1t i'm
pels US to defend the weak and to de-
fend the right. 1t commands us to
make the world safe for democracy"
as President Wilson has said.
The same duty that the law abiding
citizen has to restrain murderer Is
americas duty now In the national
sense. The German autocracy has
murdered. pillaged, robbed whole ma
lions. 1t has enslaved Belgium and
much Of France; it has planned to
extend its inhuman warfare to Amer
lea. It has set at naught the freedom
of the seas. the rights Of neutral gov
ernments and the rights OF human be-
jngs. It has refused to recognize the
laws Of nations and the precepts of
tie Creator. 1t has forced war on the
civilized nations Of the world
And 30. It Is against this autocracy
that we are fighting. Protests and
Earnings have availed nothing:s pa
thence has been met with outrage and
Increased frightf,ilness, A war Of ex-
termination agains. the military die
tatorship set up by the kaiser in viola
ton of all laws is the only course open
to America.
II is not a war Of people against
people 1t is war by civilization to
punish murderous disregard Of civil
iization's rules. 1t is a war Of right
against terrible wrong.
That Is the war in which We are