The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1917-07-06
Red, White, and Blue Book.

The Red, White, and Blue Book,
"How the War Came to America"
has been issued by the Committee on
Public Information at Washington. 1t
is of special interest to holders of
liberty bonds, as they are assisting in
financing the war. 1t is a document
all students of this country's affairs
should read.
Its contents are 23 pages of intro
ductory historical matter, with the
address of President to the Senate on
January %, 1917, and his address to
the joint session of the Houses of
Congress on April announcing the
severance of diplomatic relations with
Germany and asking that state of
war between the United States and
Germany be recognized.
The traditional policy of the Unit
ed States, always strictly adhered to,
in abstaining from any entangling al
lianccs and participating in European
controversies is set out ably, with
citations of incidents and documents
in proof.
The position of the United States
in the summer of 1914 is summarized
as follows:
81. The Monroe doctrine.-We had
pledged ourselves to defend the New
World from European aggression, and
ge had by word and deed made it
clear that we would not intervene in
any European dispute.
"2. The freedom af the seas.-ln
every naval conference our influence
had been given in support of the prln-
ciple that sea law to be just and wor-
thy of general respect must be based
on the consent of the governed.
"3. Arbitra tion.-As we had Sc
cured peace at home by referring in
terstate disputes to Federal tribu-
nal, we urged similar settlement OF
international controversies. Our
ideal was a permanent world court.
We had already signed arbitration
treaties not only with great powers
which might conceivably attack us,
but even more freely with weaker
neghbors in order to show our good
faith in recognizing the equality OF
all nations both great and SMALL"
The attitude of this country to-
ward Germany and the other ma
tons at war is evidenced by the
Presidents proclamation of neutrali-
ty and its reception by the people.
Questions which arose between the
entente allies and the United States
involved only property and property
rights and were covered by arbltra-
ton treaties. Questions that arose
between the Teutonic allies and this
country involved irreparable loss OF
life, and through their refusal to
make arbitration treaties were not
subject to compulsory arbitration.
The course of the Imperial German
Government in this country and IN
Mexico and other countries Of this
hemisphere, it's deceit, secret machl-
nations, and overt acts of hostility are
reviewed and the patience and the
forbearance of the President and the
American Government demonstrated.
The pamphlet summarizes the
events leading to the entrance of the
United States into the war with Ger
many. The exact condition of affairs
1T the time of the delivery OF the
Presidents war message is set out
and the course of the President and
tbo Nation justified by the recital OF
facts now known to all. :,
The revolution in Russia, it is said,
made the course of the United States
much palmer and converted the whole
conflict into q real struggle that the
"wor'd must be made safe for de-
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