The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-02-27

ually however, 1t began TO dawn upon
us that we were contending with a
code Of ethics, the like of which the
world has never seen. We had read
the boasts OF the Prussian militarists
and had studied. the philosophy of the
German but it had not occurred to us
that any nation, calling itself civilized,
would actually launch in cold blood, a
program of world domination, involv-
ing the abandonment OF all humani-
tartan principles ana every restraint
of common deceacy. We simply could
not believe it and we rubbed our eyes
to make, sure that were not dream
ing3We were not dreaming, however,
but face to face, with very stern
reality; and we now know that free
government, the world over, is at
stake and that the very existence OF
the American republic is in jeopardy.
This is indeed a new and astounding
situation and one demanding new pol
icies, quick thinking, and prompt and
decisive action. Our house is really
on fire and the Prussian marauder
is in. our midst with flaming torch
and drawn sword ready to carry out
his work Of destruction.
New Methods Demanded.
obviously, new policies and new
methods are demanded by present
world conditions The need of them
to my mind is imperative, and yet
there are those who tell us that they
are not necessary and>> that we can
continue to, live in the old "flintlock
age" They tell us that if we are
good we will be unframed. China
has been very good but she has been
looted by every brigand that ever ap.
peared in oriental waters. Belgium
was good and yet she did not escape
destruction. Serbia's only offense was
that her little territory lay across the
German pathway from Hamburg to
the Persian Gulf. Norway was law
abiding and yet her merchant marine
now rests peacefully at the bottom OF
the sea. My friends, when the most
powerful military nation that the
world has ever see nsnaps her fingers
in contempt at all the conventions OF
civilized life and boldly declares her
intention to force her much.vaunted
kultur upon other. nations, is it not
time for us to follow the presidents
advice and get into the war with all
our power and all our resources? !
am not a militarist and have no pa
thence with the code Of. the duellist
and yet on the other hand, l have
little respect for the man who will
fight with all the resources at his
command when the lives and happi-
ness of his family are in jeopardy
and the very existence ofhis country,
Isl at stake The Prussian has de-;
manded ga place in the sun; he has
ordered all nations to get off the seas
and is now trying to make them "get
off the earth II he succeeds in this
modest undertaking all other peoples
apparently will have to be content
with the waters under the earth. All
of which impels one to ask, Upon
what does this our Caesar feed that
he has grown so create"
Our Fools Paradise.
."Some Of us did live in a fools
paradise for time prior to 1914. We
had convinced ourselves that wars
had ceased unto the ends of the earth,
that the bow was broken, the spear
snapped asunder. We had it all
burned in the fire. We had it all
figured out to mathematical nicely.
We said that no great war could ever
occur again, because
1.-THE engines Of destruction
were so terrible that whole nations
would be speedily annihilated.
"2.-That the, commercial interests
of the world would not tolerate war.
"3 .-That sufficient money could
not be obtained to finance war for
any considerable length of time.
Il THAT the socialists and labor
unions the world over. were opposed
to war.
"5.-That no king or other. ruler
would be so wicked and cruel as to
bring such a terrible calamity upon
his people, and
"6.-That the people of the world
were. so far advanced in civilization
that the barbarism of war was no lon
ger possible.
{. "Now, as abstract reasoning, ell this
seemed very plausible, but since the
very thing. happened in 1914, which
could not possibly happen, isn't it
about time to apply the discount sheet
to abstract reasoning? Isn't it about
time for. us, and prudent men, to
throw some reasonable and practical
around our national inter
ests? Isn't it about time for us to
give some attention to the warnings
Of our army and navy leaders and to
consult our experts gently?, Isn't it a
peculiar and suggestive fact that Rear
NOLAN has, taught sea-pOwer
ID every nation except his own?
The Causes of the. War
ga great deal of water has flowed
under the bridge since midsummer OF
1914; and, lest we, forget, would like
10 refreshs your memory in regard to q I
few essentials. In the midst of a be.
mass of information bear
ing upon the war then on certain
lew vital facts which should stand
out like rabbits ears.
''Let US not forget that, the murder
II the Archduke Francis Ferdinand
Ind his wife by Serbians in Bosnia,
ii 1914, was not the real cause of this
war. 1t was the pretext, merely If
u had not been the Serbian incident
y would have been some other Incl
lent as it is now plain that Germany
md Austria were ready and were in
.ent upon precipitating war. After
celebrating upon the accident for
tour weeks Austria sent to Serbia, on