The Carlisle independent., 1918-06-20
Why We Fight Because German Lust of Conquest Menaces in Many Ways Our
 Very National Existence
By CLARENCE l.. SPEED Secretary of the War Committee of the Union League Club of Chicago

Any one of the reasons why we are at war with Germany, mentioned in previous articles of this series, wouln be sufficient justification for this na- ton taking up arms. Only extreme patience, coupled, often, with complete failure to recognize the seriousness or the German menace to America ana the world, kept the United States out of the war for nearly three years be- fore it finally decided to join in. In fact justification for war with Ger many existed years before the conflict in Europe was begun.
 It has been shown that Germany, for years, had been plotting within our borders, encouraging immigrants to became citizens and at the same time remain faithful to the kaiser. She filled our land with spies and agents of disorganization when, to all out ward appearances, relations between America and Germany, were of the most friendly character.
 From evidence supplied by the Ger mars themselves, it has been shown that Germany's doctrine that might alone is right would menace the very independence of the United States just as surely as it destroyed that of Ser bia and Belgium, just as soon as Ger many felt herself strong enough to make formal attack. German lust of conquest knew no bounds.
 Events of the last year have proven that Germany, having split the world in half by her creation of Mitteleu- ropa, extending from the Baltic almost to the Persian gulf, was planning to devour the halves separately. The fact that our half of the world was being reserved for dessert was all the more reason why we should enter the WIT while part, at least, of the other half was still making resistance.
 Finally, when the collapse of Russia revealed the fact that Germany was fighting, not war of .self-preserva- tion, but one of conquest pure and simple, and that the freedom of the entire world was mahaced, any Ques- ton of why we are fighting seemed superfluous.
 The military party in Germany start ed the war because it believed the timc ripe for conquest.
 Proof that ambition, and not consid- eration of it's own safety, prompted Germany to begin the war is given by the fact that Serbia and Belgium, two helpless little nations, were the first attacked.
 Germany had under no compulsion, signed solemn treaty to protect the neutrality of Belgium. When she branded this treaty 'a scrap of paper, she gave proof that all her treaties would be so considered when her in- terests demanded. In other words. Germany's invasion of Belgium meant the tearing up of every treaty which existed between Germany and other nations. It was ample Justification for America going to war at that moment.
 This did not spur America at the time, but Germany's cruelties in Bell gium, surpassing anything ever before known in modern history, gave further evidence that the world was not safe as long as such government existed in it.
 Then came Germany's conduct on the sea. With her battlefeet cravenly seeking shelter behind the defenses of the Kiel canal, Germany sent out her submarines and began war on up- armed merchantmen. Women and chill dren were her victims. American citi- zens by the score went down to death on the Lusitania. The United States made protest, and Germany promised to mend her ways. This she did, for time, until she could build fleet of bigger and better submarines, and then her pirate sea warfare broke out with fresh vigor. How could we keep out of war when Germany, after ruthlessly killing our citizens, deliberately closed the sea tQ us?
 German plotters and spies, under the direct leadership of the German ambassador to this country, worked almost openly, blowing up industrial plants, sinking ships in our harbors. and menacing railroads and canals.
 Germany, spurred by successes, openly began to announce plans for disciplining the United States. She scoffed at the Monroe doctrine, and tried to create a German state in Brazil which, in time would be strong enough to bring about revolution and overthrow dewocratic government there.
 By her huge armaments. her disre- gard of treaties, and her evident re- liance on force alone, Germany was rapidly making the world an unsafe place in which to live, forcing all oth- CT nations to adopt the military syss tenn, or be at her mercy.
 The German ambition to force Ger man kultur on the remainder of the world was well exploited. Kultur, to the German mind. was not what cul- ture is to us. It was the whole Ger. man system, of government, of com. merclalism and of life. There was no place for democracy in a world which bore the stamp of German kul-