The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-04-04
SEND NO ARMY TO EUROPE.

!. SEND NJ ARFTI ~ EUROPE.
ANGrz
The president having addressed congress j
behooves cur people to think seriously over the sit
uation which he outlines.
/ The sentiment of the country, as gathered BY
those outside OF the control of the lingo newspap
e1s, is somewhat divided over the course to b.
pursued.
The participation of this country in the wal
means different courses OF action to different PEG.
pie. Some assert that our only cause OF war is to
protect commerce, and that when this end is Sc.
cured our participation in the struggle should
cease. This view ~precludes an alliance with the
Entente and prevents any military action in Eu-
rope.
Others believe chat we should feed the Allies,
finance them, use our navy with them and pre-
pare a huge army for European service. This
class of citizens favor an alliance with the enten-
tie, binding us to the Successful" prosecution of
the war. In other words, we are to guarantee
Allied success by furnishing whatever may be
necessary for their success.
In the northeastern part of the nation the Wig
orous war sentiment abounds. In the south and
west it exists, but is outweighed by the idea that
our warfare should be limited to defending our
selves from aggression, either on land or sea.
We are thoroughly in accord with this moder-
ate idea. We want our rights protected, but we
are absolutely against the preparation of a large
army for European service. The young men in
this country should be trained, universal service
should be adopted, but they must not be given up
to death on a foreign shore, while in a struggle
for a foreign alliance.
Financial aid should be given the Allies
without stint. Food should be supplied them
without fail. The navy should open the sea to
our and drive the submarines into cruis-
err or legitimate warfare. When this has been
done our part in the war shall have ended.
The government should use every instrument
tally which will help towards this end. Obvious
ly, an army of Aemricans, fighting in France, can
not have any effect on the operation of subma-
rines or the protection of trade routes.
More to the point, is the injustice of sending
of our young men into Europe to fight
for the settlement of an European dispute. The
young men who join our army have no voice in
own control, yet none of them are unwilling
to serve their country. At the same time they
not be sacrificed except to defend their own
country or it's immediate possessions.
We feel sure the government has no serious
Of sending troops to the battlefront, but it IS
to be guided largely by public opinion. 1t the ad-
vocates of a full-fedged alliance are allowed to
misrepresent public sentiment the government
be controlled by their views.
1t is the duty of every citizen to advise their
representatives in Congress of their desire in the
Of making war. Let the rulers know how
The neOn)e stand. IF Won want an army in FIJI
tell your congressman so; if you don't want
any participation in European fighting tell him so.
Those who favor immediate war should vol
at once. They should place their services
1t the disposal of their government. Trained men
ire needed for fighting, and you must be trained
before you can help. If you want war, vote aye
~ e~nlisting. Such action alone can talk.
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