New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-15
Why We Are at War

President wilson Is UeSlhHhhS !" SA
the emphasis in explaining why we are at
war. This is wise. There has been too
much transcendentalism in previous ex-
plantations. Mr.. Wilson has insisted too
exclusively on the altruistic aspect of the
war-so far, at least, as our participation
in it is concerned.
We are not fighting for territory or
trade. We are fighting without any desire
to improve our position in the world at the
expense of any other nation. To that eX-
tent our purposes are unselfish. Yet it is
misleading and undoubtedly a damper on
national effort to say that we are not fight
ing as a matter of self-interest.
AS matter of fact, we are in the war
because we were forced into it In self
defence. We have taken up arms to main
tain national rights. We are fighting to
protect ourselves-our homes, our property
and the lives of our women and children
Our safety and our welfare as a nation are
at stake. We are pouring out our treas
ure because, if we do not pour 1t out, the
Kaiser may come across the Atlantic and
appropriate it. If Germany had defeated
the Entente Allies before our entry into
the war, we should have been her next VIC
tim. If she defeats the Entente Alliance,
now that we have joined it, we, as the
richest Of the defeated nations, shall have
to play the major role in indemnifying the
victor for the costs of the war.
We have therefore an interest in the
present struggle which comes closer home
to us than any well-intentioned service of
humanity or any laudable crusade for the
promotion Of democracy. Germany was
not satisfied to allow US to remain neutral.
To remain neutral on German terms was
to mortgage our future-to forfeit our
honor and self-respect. Germany massa-
cred our citizens-women, children and
non-combatants. She abrogated our right
to use the high seas and gave us an in
sulting warning that she meant to annul
any and all obligations to us under inter
national law which might embarrass her
or obstruct her in the attainment of her
military ends. She conspired to embroil
us with Mexico and Japan. She made
war on US long before we plucked up
enough courage to declare war on her. We
turned at last to fight her because further
liberation of her aggression had become
impossible, not because we deemed that the
time had finally arrived to vindicate hui
mainly and spread democracy.
In The Tribune's opinion the fighting
spirit of the country can be more success
fully aroused by an insistence on the con-
crete grievances which we have against
Germany than by treating the war as a
wholly unselfsh enterprise, conducted with
more or less abstract aims. Germany
since August, 1914, has acted like a mad
beast. She has carried on war by foul
and forbidden methods. She has murdered
women and children, ravaged invaded ter
ritory, descended to infamies which have
been unparalleled since the period of the
brutal religious wars which followed the
Reformation. She has put herself beyond
the pale of civilized fellowship.
Yet she put herself beyond that pale
more than two years ago. We did not
fight her then. We waited until her say
agery had been vented upon US so plainly
that there was no longer any excuse fol
non-resistance. Let us remember now
that Germany is ready and willing tc
slaughter our women and children, to tort
ure our soldiers with liquid fire, to waste
our territory and to make poems of any
civilian population which may fall int
her clutches. We are fighting Germany
because if we do not fight her and conquer
her she will wreak all her bestiality on US
If she ever succeeds in dominating Europe
with her Mitteleuropa consolidation, she
will soon turn toward the Americas anc
fasten her militaristic yoke on US.
We are glad TO see the President now
presenting the concrete rather than the
abstract reasons which welhave for fight
ing Germany. We fight her because We
fear her-because we have seen what
she is capable of doing in world ir
which she aims at military mastery. II
would please our people, Of course, u
see more European states republicanized
or liberalized in government by an in
fusion Of the democratic spirit. But frs
Of all we want TO be certain Of one result
at home. We want 70 be certain that tn,
United States is not going TO be German
lied. That is what our armies will figh
fora selfish aim, if anybody wants u
call II that, but an aim which can b
grasped instinctively by every American
however remote his interest may be in thu
political or territorial adjustments in Flu
rope which may follow Germany's defea
and which may be necessary TO secure thu
fruits Of Allied victory.
Let us get down closer 10 the thoughts
and feelings Of the masses in this country
in explaining why we are at war. The