Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-08-06
OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE

TN QUEENS HALL Saturday Lloyd
George in one sentence swept all Incl.
dentals aside and showed beyond perad-
venture why the United States Is and
had to be belligerent. "If England had
not gone into the war with her whole
strength" he said, "the Monroe Doctrine
would have been treated as scrap of
paper by Germany"
The revelations Of German purpose and
German ambition now being made by
Ambassador Gerard through the columns
Of the Public Ledger remove all doubt.
A mania had seized on the war lords. BY
brute force they had robbed Denmark,
Austria and France In turn of fair pos.
sessions. The mailed fist had proved it.
self the greatest of all territory grabbers.
Bismarck and the men associated with
him In the organization Of modern Ger
many did not dare go further. They had
expanded Prussian influence beyond their
widest hopes and they doubted If the
world would endure further aggression.
But the present Kaiser had greater
vision. He subsidized German industries
and revolutionized the Industrial status Of
the country. He sent German propa-
gandists into all parts of the world. lie
read Mahan's book disclosing the influ-
naval league formed and began the crea-
ton of great navy. He tried by every
from keeping pace with this construction
program, hoping to fool her as he had
for they did not keep pace with his war
Preparations, being lulled into feeling
of security. Then at last. believing that
England had been persuaded to pursue a
policy of neutrality, he threw his legions
across Belgium and began the brazen pro-
gram which he believed would leave the
whole world helpless at his feet.
The German war lords are far-seeing.
Paris was but way-station In their plans.
With it taken, they could cross the Chan
mel and dump their veteran armies on de-
fenseless London. And after London!
All, all South America under the German
yoke and. II the United States objected,
New York itself should be Teuton out.
post and the Atlantic from pole to pole
. German sea.
Americans hoped that the program Of
devilry had been definitely stopped at the
Marne. They expected that the British
army. growing in might, would overwhelm
It In the second year. Not until this
February did it finally dawn on all men
that the attack on free institutions was
rooted deeper, that 1t dared challenge the
whole world and that already it insisted
on bringing the United States into the
conflict. The unrestricted U-boat cam
paign was not merely notice to the
United States to get off the seas; it was
notice also that forever after the United
States should formulate its foreign pol
Icy according to German dictation. Had
we yielded to German presumption in
February. in another February a VIC
torious Germany would have announced
her refusal to abide by the Monroe
Doctrine and militarism would have
established its bases in the Western
Hemisphere.
We fight defensive battle, even
though the scene of 1t is in France.
Civilization has annihilated distance: by
30 doing It has tipped overheard the
natural defenses Of America. A necessary
complement for our protection is annihila.
tion Of militarism. Our first line of de-
Tense has moved from the Atlantic coast
70 the frontiers of France. This amazing
fact is the sober truth. The nation would
loubt It to Its peril.