The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-07-09
INDIVIDUAL AND PuBLYc oPINIoN.


revolution and nations are dying and being born is in
cumbeut upon each individual American to overhaul his
ideas concerning the relation of this nation to Others and
to enlarge the scope of his information The hour is
irving when all the knowledge and skill of Americans will
be drawn upon in adjusting the world relations Rep
etition Of phrases however pat is nothing more than
parrot could do 1t is true that the word must be made
safe for democracy an dhat the United States fighting
for world liberty but every American ought to realize
now that his duty is to understand how the world is to be
made SAFE and how the United States can best fight
From individuals the opinions that make public OPP
nion which in turn 50 potent that it stay the hand
of Presidents and reverse the decisions of supreme
councils
America coming to be potent the battlefield, and
thanks to President Wilson it potent in counc but
cannot be said that the public opinion of the United
States exers the influence upon events which it could
exert if it were more familiar with the problems that
round the war; Europe is trying to settle certain prob
lens which concern the very existence of the United
States and yet The discussions are carried without any
expression whatever from this country.
1t is not sufficient to say, ooh, let the European
tons talk and plan the United States will decide the mat
ter after a That is not true. The is progressive
events ore cumulative in their binding influence otter
what has been done be undone The last few months
full Of instances where the United States might have
swayed events to the advantage Of world freedom if it
had been fully informed and had promptly acted Per-
haps Russia could not have been saved but there
many persons who believe that its collapse could have
been prevented
To many Americans it far cry from the hides
ructbe United States to the small and oppressed peoples
of Austria Hungary whose very strange 1t
with the fate of these unborn nations but that is the
does not appear that the fate of the United States linked
truth There safety for the democracy of the Unit
ed States unless the peoples of Hungary made
free Likewise, there safety for the United States
while Russia is PROSTATE and open to German expota
ton In self-defense the United States is now compelled
to fight finish for the extricaton of bond and slave
nations from the grip of Germany The congeres of peo
Piles called Austria-Hungary will be free and sefgover
ing at the end of this war; Germany will be doing in
the United States what she has just done in Russia If
the allies, including the United States not able
Hungary and the crushed people of Russia they will not
be able to the United States from German domna
ion and exploitation
President Wilson's address Mount Vernon meant that
all bertyOvers and freedomseekers in this world are in
the same boat The lineup is such that nations
not be left in Gernanys grip while others escape The
nations now free free only condtonally The indie
nf he
this Vsr-overwhelmng victory not merely peace I'm
less Germany goes down, this nation must. Germanys
strength must be impaired reduced and finally destroy
ed How this be accomplished? First by brute force
face face second by brute force applied to Geranys
weak pots third by brute force assisting descriptive and
revolutionary elements in greater Germany and by other
means not necessary to mention now
GermanyB weakest spot is Austria-Hungary. Turkey
ALSO sick of Germany and most of the people would be
glad to throw off German domination Russia is still
still weak spot in Germany's schemes, and can be
turned againt her. The German feet weak spot if at
tackled by squadron of bombing planes The Austrian
feet consists Of few decrept or semobsoete vessels
manned mostly by JugOsavs who waiting for chance
to mutiny The allied fleets could wipe Austria Hungary
off the seas bvone bold stroke in the Adriatic This coup
would enable italy to defeat Hungary and there
fore would be body blow to Germany. It would also
change the current Of affairs in the Balkans much to the
advantage of the allies.
The war must be considered whole Americans
conne their interest to the American lads on the
western 'front.' if they try Thse lads are affected by
events in faro places in the Pacific in the Arctic in the
Adristc and in the heart of enemy empires Every Am
should endcavor to grasp the questions which SO
deeply involve the safety and independence of the United
States m order that his views may contribute to the intel
ligent public opinion which will give America strong
place in the counsels of war and peace-Washington
Post.
4.