French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1918-06-06
WY THE UNITED STATES
&c At WAR WITH GERMANY.

article was Wr1CCen Dy MISS rTdnCeS
Cnmmerrall in response to the offer
~ s25 by J. G. Sales for the best
oIsav from a public school teacher on
tbo reasons why the United States is
at war;
The outbreak of war in 1914
canght this nation by surprise. The
noonIe of Europe had had at least
Ppomn warnings of the coming storm,
Int 70 us such a blind, savage, on
D1anoht on the ideals of civilization,
bod appeared impossible. We were
,nable to comprehend the meaning of
is occurrence, and since either side
was c~hampioned here in America by
millions living among us who were of
European birth, many contradictory
occ1sations threw our thoughts into
disarraY.
At first. we were unable to see how
our national policy might be affected.
later on. however, when we read the
Presidents different p~roclamations,
The nucleus of which was the preser-
vation of a strict neutrality, IN order
that we might be of great use in the
task of mediation, it began to dawn
mon US that there was a plausible
nnSSlOlllLV OIL d 1AGu1S
upon our rights.
Before the swift events of the mid
SIMMER of 1914, three influences, op-
nrative in. American Consciousness
had controlled our foreign policy and
anyone of these influences had SEEM
ed potent enough to keep US perma-
pently aloof from all European con-
ficts. First, we were a peace-loving
nation; secondly, we adhered hrmly
to the Monroe Doctrine, and thirdly,
we were in a perfect mental neutral
ity as regards the great European
powers.
AS a peace loving nation, we
PLAYED a role in the endeavOr to sub
stitute the rule of reason for the rule
of the bayonet in international rela-
lions. We were rather looking for
ward to a time when war would have
become obsolete as a method for set
Ting disputes among civilized ma
tons. By the Monroe Doctrine, we
had for nearly a century been able to
guarantee the independence OF the
weaker republics of America, and for
this reason, we had s~teadfastIy re-
Trained from interfering with any
European disputes, although our ma
LlOn ) SNInpdln4SS 1A0A 4CPOo|GA4y DS@A
narrowed by the outrages of the
Turks against the Armenlans. But,
as had been said, we were mentally
neutral toward the various members
of the present c~ontending allies.
However,, this spirit of neutrality
was not easy to maintain, since we
we're a heterogeneous mass OF people,
and soon the American pendulum of
-..o-4 L1ro~ @n cuy1nO IInnUonIU
During the first few weeks of the war
American sympathies began to range
themselves somewhat on the side of
the allies. Yet the nation as a whole
felt that this was no conflict of theirs.
Our newspapers and magazines were
full of accounts and often illusions
we're made by writer's, of our not dis
corning the difference between the ag-
,gressors and those suffering agrees
sion. No statesman, however mag
netic, and influential, could have led
America into the war during its first
six months. Our national impulse to
war was the result of the slow growth
of more than two years.
But, let us remember that during
the time that we were bordering the
question with c~ommendable patience,
it is we'll for US to keep before US the
fact that we did not determine upon
war merely to vindicate our national
rights. The Simple motives of the
assertion of national rights and the
revenge for national injuries stand
alone as our reason for entering the
conflict.
Our OWL wrongs have come to seem
to US insignificant by comparison
with the u~nutterable woes of all other
nations ingulfed in war. Infringe
ment upon our own rights brought
home to US the sufferingS of other
nations at the, hands of Germany and
furnished the precise occasion needed
to convince the most idea1istic advo-
Gates of peace that a continuance Of
our neutrality was a moral impossi-
bility. The conviction of the Ameri-
can people, which is responsible for
our participation in the world conflict
is the solemn belief that civilization
is at stake; that civilization is incom-.
patible with a victory of the Prusslan
regime. 1t is upon this belief that we
entered the war.
The clash between Germany and
the United States rose out of a con-
Hlct of Germany's conduct of her
submarine warfare and it is just here
that the principle of military neces-
slty as applied by the general staff
reached its climax. For, the sea is
the highway Of all nations and the
violation of the laws of sea war
fare strikes all the liberties of all na-
tons alike. And in this relation let
Us remember that aside from the de-
structiOn of millions of dollars worth
Of goods on the high seas, nearly
Tour thousand Americans succumbed
to Watery graves at the mercy of
G!ermany's submarines, while pursu-
ing her policy of ruthless submarine
warfare.
Whatever may be said against the
sort Of blockade which England en-
forced against Germany, two things
may De said in its favor: 1t was legal
2ccnElinm Il -zoooLa-A anI &c al