The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1918-05-17
Why We Are At War With
Germany
nv Ephraim Douglas Adams, Executive
Head, History Department Leland
Stanford Junior University, California
DEMOCRACY versus AUTOCRACY

1t Is commonly said that this war
is one in which America was forced
to take part in order to ''make The
world safe for democracy" What
does the phrase mean:
The theories and acts of the
German military autocracy definitely
deny the right Of the people ola state
to rule themselves. The German
people, 10 spite of forms of govern
ment that make pretense Of popular
control, have no such actual control
over their governors as exists ia dem
ocratically organized nations. In
those nations the governors can be
removed By vote Of the people In
general election; 10 Germany the
people have not this power.
The aristocracy of Germany under
stand this difference, and are afraid
OF the spread of democracy 10
Germany. The whole, much-admired
deficiency" of Germany is primarily
due to a desperate and constant effort
by Germany's rulers to divert the
German people from thoughts of
self-government, by Offering them
material prosperity. And the rulers
have succeeded. One of the causes OF
this war was the necessity, by still
further GLORIOUS acquisitions IF
territory" to hush the murmurings
of political discomfort in Germany.
Victory 10 war, every so often, is a
necessity of the German system. ut
is for social as much as for national
and political reasons that we must
fix our minds necessarily upon war"
Success is necessary to gain influence
over the Masses" wrote Bernhardi;
and General Won Kissing. just before
his death, wrote political Tesla
ment," since largely circulated in
Germany, 10 which he argued for the
retention of Belgium, because, unless
it were annexed, the prestige of the
military autocracy would receive
fatal blow.
Are we--are the Allles-then fight
ing to impose upon Germany differ
ent system; is that the meaning of
making the world safe for demo-
cracy?
Elhu Root says that American
democratic ideals include Gilbert,
not for themselves alone but for all
who are oppressed" Lloyd George
asserts that If all countries had been
democratically organized, this war
would not have taken place; that this
war will determine not merely inter
national relations, but will effect the
lives Of peoples within their own
nations, for generations to come: that
this war is TO end in international
democracy" /. e., in liberty, equality,
and fraternity, between nations, great
and small. General Smuts, formerly
soldier against Great Britain in
south Africa, says that the essence of
this war is the question whether
governments should be founded on
military might or on "principles of
equity, justice, fairness and equality"
Various writers have depicted this
war as a test of democracy, to deter
mine whether democracy can adjust
itself to an emergency so that by
sheer efficiency it shall at least equal
the efficiency Of military autocracy.
and assert that on this ground alone
The future government of all the
nations of the world is at stake. viii
CROOKS, the British labor leader, saws
this war "is peoples war. We are
all In 1t, the man at the village pump
and in the fields, the blacksmith, the
carpenter and Joiner, the shipwright
and the man OF leisure. We a e
standing together because we are
lighting for liberty"
Yes, this war is one In which ideals
1f government, of individual liberty.
IL civilization itself are In conflict.
Democracy is lined up against autoc.
'acy. The war is 10 absolute fact a
var of ideals. But we are not fighting
10 impose our ideals unon nyno4,