Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 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.


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, would
be sufficient justification for this ma
ton taking up arms. Only extreme
patience, coupled, often, with complete
failure to recognize the seriousness OF
the German menace to America and
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.
1t 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
mans 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 a 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 war
while a 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 a war of self-preserva-
ton, but one of conquest pure and
simple, and that the freedom of the
entire world was menaced, any ques-
ton of why we are fighting seemed
superhuOus.
The military party in Germany start
ed the war because it believed the time
ripe for conquest.
Proof that ambition, and not consid'
Grafton 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 a 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 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 it.
Then came Germany's conduct on
the sea. With her battlefield cravenly
seeking shelter behind the defenses OF
the Kiel canal, Germany sent out her
| submarines and began a war on un-
armed merchantmen Women and chill
dren were her victims. American citl'
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
a time, until she could build a 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 to 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 democratic government
there.
By her huge ornaments, her disre-
gard Of treaties, and her evident re-
lance on force alone, Germany was
rapidly making the world an unsafe
place in which to live, forcing all 9th
er nations to adopt the military sys4
tenn, or be at her mercy.
The German ambition to force Gers
man kultur on the remainder Of the
world was we'll exploited. Kultur, to