The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1918-03-29

against IT. We are not hglting for
any nations claims to outlying real
estate. We are not fighting to huulil-
late any people, nor for any national
prestige or glory. We are not fight
ing even for democracy in a sense
which implies Imposing it upon any
unwilling people. We are fighting TO
defend our country's place in this
small and diminishing world: for a
peace that will save the world from
further fighting; for perpetual world
peace, in which our own and every
other democracy may develop
Louis F. Post in the Public.
! Did we go to war because, years
ago. at Samoa, the German govern
ment attempted TO take these islands
from us for use as a naval base in
the Pacific? Not at all: the English
/ fleet cowed the Germans then, and
we overlooked the aggression. Nor
did we go. to war because the Ger
man feet at Manila menaced the
American squadron under Dewey and
sought to wrest from us the Philip-
pine islands. No other government
fair, but ours did so rather than em-
broil itself in war. The English fleet
again lined up with our own and the
German navy made no further moves
J at that time.
War Forced Upon Us.
We forgave also, and would have
preferred to forget, the kaiser's de-
! Df H..
he tried to set up German domina-
ton in Venezuela during Mr.. Roose-
velt's administration. Nor did we go
to war because of the long series of
insults in word and deed hurled at
our nation by German rulers, nor be-
cause of the sinking of the Lusitania
and many American vessels. Even
/ the deliberate slaughter of our citi-
Zens by war-mad government did
not decide us to make matters worse
! by going to war; nor the ruin of the
small nations-Armenia, Poland, Bel
gium and Serbia-tleir young men
lined up and shot, their women yio-
lated, their children starved or mas
sacred by the fiendish military
measures" of the German govern
ment. Violation of their solemn COW
enants and renewal of submarine
destruction of our peaceful vessels
at last decided America to enter the
war, both to free enslaved nations
and to save herself. ,n
Secret Attacks by Germany. Il
| Secret dispatches of the German
] fa
torff show that Germany was making
war on America for more than year
before we went to war. One dated
January 8, 1917, says: General Ger
MANI staff desires energetic action
in regard to proposed destruction of
Canadian Pacific railway" One on
January % gave the names of men
who were to help in the destruction
of American factories. directing that
munitions of war" be wrecked! This
was war, cowardly and treacherous,
but all that Germany could then do
American good nature long refused
to believe the TeutOns capable OF
plotting to destroy friendly govern
ment and to enslave an unoffending
people: but the German conspiracy
to overthrow America is proved in
pamphlet issued by our government.
entitled Conquest and Kultur." This
reveals how, twenty years ago.
Count Won Goetzen cOnfded in our
Major Bailey that in about fifteen
years Germany would start her great
war, be in Paris in about two
months. then crush England. Some
months after we finish our work in
Europe. we will take New York and
probably Washington" bhl
Ready to Invade America. 81,
How America was to be invaded
and despoiled was worked out in
Operations on Land and Sea-" pub
lished by Won Edelsheim in 1901. /
while he was in the service of the (
Germany would cause America ito
sue for peace" by ~injuring the
whole country through the success
full seizure of many of the Atlantic
ports; also how a line of land oper-
rations would disoTganiZe all
governmental affairs. assume control
of all useful buildings. cOnfiscate all
wap pand-tIanspOrt supplies. and i'm
pose heavy indemnities." All such 4
publications aroused derisicn outside
of Germany, but now the world
knows that they meant what they
said.
To Overthrow oHr Country
~
messages to Japan and Mexico. seiE-
ed by America. revealed that Ger
many had undertaken 70 blot out ev-