Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-12-24
Battle for Supremacy.

The greatest question or the peace
conference as we see 1t, Is whether or
not Great Britain will renounce her
claim TO the right Of supremacy Of the
seas.
Let US not get the question mixed up
in the slightest.
At the outset Of this war Great Brit
ain complained to the world against
Germany's militarism and Germany
retorted with complaint against Great
Britain's navalism.
In principle, to say the least OF 1t,
both complaints were fully warranted,
and one was as we'll warranted as the
other.
Germany easily had the power to
crush any other nation or any other
two or three nations, barring the Unit
ed States, of course, and Great Britain
had the power to crush any other ma
ton or the whole world, again barring
the United States, on the sea.
No. the United States did not have
either army or navy so far as that is
concerned: but she had men OF brains,
character, courage, power and all the
resources to do whatever Almighty GOD
wants her to do. That is not meant as
a boast: but as a plain statement OF
an established fact.
Germany's militarism has been de-
stroyed, and whether the United States
deserves the full credit for 1t or not II
would certainly have never been done
except with the help of the United
States.
Now, in England, there are hundreds
of thousands of good, sensible men
who clearly understand that the coun-
try must change its ambitions and de-
sires as to naval supremacy; but there
are other hundreds of thousands OF in
fiuential men who are unwilling to do
anything Of the kind.
AS to what attitude England is going
TO take at the peace conference re-
mains to be seen; but il she shall hold
out for the retention Of power OF force,
instead of power Of right. she Is going
to make a mistake that will eventually
seal her doom.
No, the United States does not want
naval supremacy any more than she
wanted military supremacy; but just
as she was putting herself in a posi-
ton to show that she could whip !ke
whole world even on the soil Of f.I-
rope, she is capable of putting herself
in a position to sweep all the navies OF
the world from the seas.
This is big talk: but it is not as big
as the United States, inspired WIZ.
Gods spirit of eternal right anu JUS
tice.
We hope that the great men who are
TO figure in the peace conference will
rise to Il height from which they Will
be able to see that President Wilson Is
not inspired by a selfish desire for ma
tional supremacy; but only for the su-
premacy of right and justice over
brute force.
If England fails to realize the true
situation and act upon it, it will not
mean any immediate resumption OF the
war, or anything like that; but 1t will
mean a long, long postponement OF
genuine peace.
There will follow an economic war;
competition in the up-building of arm
les and navies. and eventually the Unit
ed states will reach the point where
she will be able to compel by force that
which she is now proposing to estab-
lish by agreement.
America does not want to dominate
England or any other country. 1t Is
not going to do 1t: but America Is
proud to submit to the laws OF Al
mighty God and she holds all she has
as humble means in the hands Of God
to make all others submit.