The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1918-08-29
Why We Fight
Because Germany Messces the
Freedom Of the World and Russis
Can no Longer Resist
BY CLARENCE L. SPEED
OF the War Committee OF thu
Union League Club OF Chicago.

fought for the liberty Of n In times
past. II Is true, men have fought for
freedom from oppressors. Sometimes
they have won and sometimes they
have lost. But always there has been
a place In this big world where those
who had lost In the struggle at home
might go and find n country where
they might enjoy the liberty they
loved.
Now all IL different. IT the forces
which are fighting for freedom In this
war. are defeated, there will be no
place In the whole world to which they
may 60 to find a refuge from Prus-
sian domination. Every land under
the sun will be directly or indirectly
under control Of the victor: and II
the victor Is autocracy. freedom per.
ishes.
The land where freedom Is most i'm.
mincntly mcnaced by the legions OF
Prussian autocracy. mt this moment,
Is the land where unwonted freedom
temporarily has run riot and has lost
the power To fight for itself-Russla.
We are fighting for the freedom OF
Russia, and must continue to fight for
II until Russia learns what freedom
means. and Is again able to fight. II
we do not. freedom will die in Russia ;
Prussian autocracy will rule and ex.
plot the country for Its own benefit ;
and the very forces which overthrow
the ear will be turned against the
freedom not only Of themselves, but OF
other lands.
In years gone by, when the forces
Of revolution were showing themselves
here and there In Russia. they had the
sympathy Of America In spite of the
methods Of terrorism OF which we
did not approve. When the car and
the kaiser. leaders Of autocracy, were
locked in a death grapple, Russia still
had our sympathy. because she was
fighting on the side Of those who were
seeking to safeguard the world from
Prussian militarism.
When the car was deposed v %
night American feelings were mixed.
There was Joy at the downfall OF an
old. and sometimes cruel autOcracy,
but there was fear hat Russia would
become too ~disorganized to fight fur
ther, coupled with the thought that per.
haps the revolution had come too soon
to be effective.
Then followed the brief regime Of
Kerensky. when It began to look rs
though freedom In Russia might he m
organized freedom, prepared to fight
for Its rights. and all America hailed
the Russian revolution as n blessing.
It had become absolutely correct to
say that the war was II var of democ-
racy against autocrncy. No pro-Ger-
man could longer point to the car.
whenever an argument arose.
Finally came the bolshevih revolu-
ton. In which Kerensky was over
thrown. Russian industry and Rus.
sian society were d~isorganized, and
Russian armies ceased to fight. The
kaiser's armies pressed on unopposed.
took what they desired In spite of a
signed peace, and Russia appeared to
be about to pass completely under con-
troll Of Germany. America stood
aghast at the prank freedom had
played, and American opinion turned
largely against Russia, but thinking
men refused to give up hope. Rus.
sia was and still Is incapable of offer.
ing resistance. but Russia is not re.
signed to autocracy. II devolves upon
others to fight for the freedom Rus
sin must have.
The experience OF other nations has
been that men who loved freedom
were willing to fight for It. and to die
for II II necessary. TAe Russian at.
titude Of nonreslstance was something
new In the world, and is hard to vn.
derstand. The bolsheviki represent.
cd the extreme Idea Of liberty. To
them freedom meant not the right OF
the majority TO choose their form OF
government, but the right Of the indi.
vidual to be free from all forms Of
governmental restraint. They would
tear down the old order completely,
at n stroke, and set up the mil.
lenium. They would divide the land
the factories and the tools among the
workers. and have no masters hence
forth.
Even In Russia, however, there wer,
dlssenters. Some took up arms ant
the bolsheviki, who fought the Ger
mans not ut all. fought their brother,
most feroclously. The result was IN
archy. Law iessness, massacre. the dis
organization ~ the railways and tn,
failure Of the food supply. The mil
lenium refused to come at the mer,
decree of the bolshcviki. II was showr
that there must be organization ant
government Of some sort.
Russia will not longer fght side b.,
side With her former allies. So In
siduous has been the German propa
ganda that. In many instances, Russian
hatred OF the allies seems to be deep
er than hatred Of Germany.
Therefore the United States cannot,
render direct aid to the struggling peo
pie Of Russia. She cannot send then
armies and supplies, for they have re-
fused to do battle for themselves. Te
fight for Russia she must fight on tn,
western front. She must do her shar,
toward humbling the kaiser, and foro