Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-05-01
Why We Fight
No. J
Because Germany's Law Il the Law
of the jungle and Her Doctrine
might Is Right"
BY CLARENCE l.. SPEED
Secretary of the War Committee OF q
Union League Club of Chicago.

by lILRfkfsN1E Il.
Secretary of the War Committee OF the
Union League Club of Chicago.
We are Mt war with Germany be-
cause Prussia dominates Ger
many, and from the days Of Freder-
lex the Great, Prussia's law has been
the law of the jungle, her doctrine
"Might is Right and her policy, in
dealing with other nations, one Of rob-
bling the weak and terrorizing the
strong. Germany has grabbed terri
tory and exaeted tribute from her
neighbors. and finally, her greed be-
coming greater has looked out over
more distant lands, and has commit.
ted herself to policy of world domi-
nation which menaces the continued
free existence of every nation which
will not submit TO her will.
Germany's policy Is not an acciden-
tai one. 1t has been carried out with
remarkable sngleness Of purpose
from generation to generation Of
H0henzollern rule, from the time
Of the Great Frederick until to-
day. Germany's atrocities are not
accidental. They are Q deliber.
ate. well thought out part Of this
Hohenzoilern policy, which was to
break down the resistance Of her OPP
p0nents, not only by fighting and de.
feating their armies but by killing,
torturing and terrorizing the civil
populations.
The German rulers committed them.
selves to the doctrine of the survival
Of the fittest Through generations of
| teaching they made the German peo.
pie believe that they, and they alone,
were the fit.
We have the words Of the German
rulers and German warriors and Ger.
man leaders of thought for all of this.
More than that we have the perform.
ance Of German officers and German
armies In conquered lands to prove it.
Let's start with Frederick the
Great in presenting the evidence.
This monarch, who earned his SOU
briquet through despoiling his neigh
bors. rather than through any real
qualities of mind which he showed,
said, In letter to his minister, Rad
twill
III there is anything TO be gained
by It. we will be honest; if deception
lnt hr, alb
takes what one can, and one is wrong
only when obliged to give back"
This philosophy, applied to present
conditions, means that Germany was
right when she took Belgium, and will
be wrong only if she is not able to
hold it,
From Frederick the Great to Bis.
marck is long jump in the matter
Of time; but we find the Prussian pol
Icy unchanged. Speaking befotc the
military committee of the Prussian
Chamber Of Deputies in 1862 Bis.
nlarck said:
mot by speeches and resolutions
Of majorities are the great questions
Of the time decided, but by iron and
blood"
Then, with blood and iron, Prussia
went out and dcspoiled Denmark Of
territory in 1864, beat and robbed Aus,
tria in 1865, and finally, in 1870,
brought France to her knees and took
her richest provinces.
Here is what the present kaiser told
his troops when, in 1900, they were
about to depart for China to put down
the boxer uprising:
use your weapons in such way
that for thousand years no Chi.
nese shall dare to look upon q German
askance. Be as terrible as Attllas
Huns
Coming on down to the present war
we find German minister accredited
to a neutral state far across the sea-
one which one would think should be
free from the entanglements OF world
politics-writing home to his govern
ment. In n state paper. advising the
sinking of two ships from this neutral
nation, In such manner that no trace
be left. Dead men, he believed tell
no tales.
II was Baron Luxburg, minister plenl.
potentiary 10 Argentina, who wrote
this amazing dispatch on May 10, 1917 {:
81 beg that the small steamers Oran
and Guna0 which are nearing
Bordeaux be spared IL posi-.
BILE. or else sunk without n trace be.
Ing left"
This telegram was intercepted In the
United States and published. II sent
thrill of horror around the world.
Chancellor Won .Hollwcg is
true disciple of Frederick the
Great. Bismarck and his royal master.
In public speech on January 81, 1917,
he said:
"When the most ruthless methods
are calculated to lead us to victory.
swift victory, they must be employed"
So they were used, aud are being