Jackson County sentinel. (Gainesboro, Tenn.) 1914-current, 1918-08-29
Why We Fight
Rsoause German Lust OF Conquest
Menaces in Many Ways Our
Very National Existence
:, 1,I-AREHCE D. SPEED

ureVious articles OF TINS seilVs, "Oui1
he sufficient justification for this ma
ton taking up arms. Only extreme
natienee. coupled, often, with complete
failure to recognize the seriousness Oh
the German menace to America ana
the world, kept the United States OUT
of the war for nearly three years be-
fore IL finally decided to join In. In
fact Justification for war with Ger
many existed years before the CONNECT
In Europe was begun.
II has been shown that Germany,
Cor years, had been plotting within our
borders, encouraging immigrants 10
became citizens and at the same time
remain faithful to the kaiser. she
filed our land with spies and agents
of REORGANIZATION when, to all out
ward appearances, relations between
America and Germany, were OF the
most frien ly character.
From evidence supplied by the Ger
mans themselves, it has been shown
thnt Germanys doctrine that might
alone is right would menace the very
independence OF the United States JUST
as surely as 1t destroyed that OF Ser
bia and Belgium, just as soon as Ger
many felt herself strong enough 10
MAKO 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
10 the Persian gulf, was planning TO
deyour 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 war
while part, at least, of the other halr
was still making resistance.
Finally. when the collapse Of Russia
revealed the fact that Germany was
fighting, not a war of self-preserVa.
tion. but one Of conquest pure ana
simple. and that the freedom or the
entire world was menaced, any ques-
ton of why we are fighting seemed
superfuous.
The military party in Germany start
ed the war because 1t believed the time
ripe for conquest.
Proof that ambition, and not constd'
Grafton of its 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
Germanys invasion of Belgium meant
the tearing up of every treaty which
existed between Germany and other
nations. It was ample justification fol
America going to war at that moment
This did not spur America at the
time, but Germany's cruelties In Bel
GUM, surprising anything ever before
known in modern history, gave further
evidence that the world was not safe
as long as such a government existed
In II.
Then came Germany's conduct on
the sea. With her battlefield cravenly
seeking shelter behind the defenses OF
the Kiel canal, Germany sent out hel
submarines and began war on UNI
armed merchantmen. Women and chill
dren were her victims. American citl
gems 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, fol
a time, until she could build fleet Of
bigger and better submarines, and ther
her pirate sea warfare broke out witt
fresh vigor. How could we keep nui
of war when Germany, after ruthlessly
killing our citizens, deliberately closed
the sea TO us?
German plottels and spies, undel
the direct leadership Of the German
ambassador to this country, worked
.. almost openly, blowing up industrial
plants, sinking ships In our harb0rs
and menacing railroads and canals.
; Germany, spurred by successes
openly began to announce plans fol
; discipllning the United States. Sh'
scoffed at the Monroe doctrine. and
tried to create a German state II
Brazil which, In time would be strong
enough to bring about revolution and
overthrow democratic government
there.
By her huge ornaments, her disre
: gard Of treaties. and her evident ~
: lance on force alone, Germany wa:
rapidly making the world an unsafe
. place in which to live, forcing all 9th
er nations to adopt the military sys
tenn, or be at her mercy.
The German ambition to force Ger
man kultur on the remainder Of tht
! world was well exploited. Kultur, b
the German mind. was not what cul
. lure Is to IN II was the whole Ger
i nan system, of government, of com
mercialism and OF life. There wal
no place for democracy In a work
which bore the stamp of German kul
bur. II we valued our form Of govern
, nent. we had TO 20 to war.
The fight which England and Francs