Sharp County record., 1918-07-05
Why We Fight
No. 5
Because Germany Menaees the
Freedom Of the World and Russts
Can no Longer Resist
BY, CLARENCE L SPEED
Union League Club OF Chicago

because 1t Is q war for freedom more
truly than ever before was war
fought for the liberty Of man. In times
past, It is true, men have fought for
freedom from oppressors. Sometimes
they have won and sometimes they
have lost. But always there has been
place In this big world where those
who had lost In the struggle at home
might 20 and find a country where
they might enjoy the liberty they
loved.
Now all Is different. If 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 20 to find a refuge from Prus-
sian domination. Every land under
the sun win be directly or indirectly
under control Of the victor; and If
the victor is autocracy, freedom per.
ishes.
The land where freedom is most i'm
minently menaced by the legions Of
Prussian autocracy, at this moment,
is the land where unwonted freedom
temporarily has run riot and has lost
the power to fight for itself-Russia.
We are fighting for the freedom Of
Russia, and must continue to fight for
It until Russia learns what freedom
means, and is again able to fight. If
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 overthrew
the czar will be turned against the
freedom not only Of themselves, but OF
other lands.
In years gone by, when the forces
bf revolution were showing themselves
here and there in Russia, they had the
sympathy Of America Id spite of the
methods Of terrorism Of which we
did not approve. When the czar 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 czar was deposed over
night American feelings were mixed.
There was Joy at the downfall Of an
old, and sometimes cruel autocracy,
but there was fear that 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 1t began to look as
though freedom in Russia might be an
organized freedom, prepared to fight
for its rights, and all America hailed
the Russian revolution as a blessing.
II had become absolutely correct to
say that the war was war of democ-
racy against autocracy. No pro-Ger-
man could longer point TO the car,
whenever an argument arose.
Finally came the bolsheviki revolu.
ton. In which Kerensky was over
thrown. Russian industry and Rus.
sian society we're disorganixed, 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 ia not re-
signed to autocracy. II devolves upon
others to Aght for the freedom Rus.
sia must have.
The experience Of other nations has
been that men who loved freedom
were willing to fight for II, and to die
Cor II II necessary. The Russian at.
titude Of nonresistance was something
new In the world, and IS hard to un.
derstand. The bolsheviki represent
ed the extreme Idea Of liberty. To
I
them freedom meant not the right Of
the majority 10 choose their form of
government, but tho right Of the indi.
vidual to be free from nil forms OF
governmental restraint They would
tear down the old order completely,
at one stroke, and set up the mil
lcnium. They would divide the land,
the factories and tho tools among the
workers, and have no masters hence
forth,
Even In Russia, however, there were
dlssentcrs Some took up arms; and
the bolshcvlki who fought tho Ger.
mans not ut 0ll, fought their brothers
most ferocIously. The result was on.
nrchy, lnwlosSness, massacre the dis
organization Of the railways and the
failure OF tho food supply. The mil.
lcAlum refused to come at the mere
decree Of the bolshevlki, II w0s shown
th0t there must be organization and
government Of some sort.
Russia will not longer fight side by
side with her former allies. SO In
sduous has been the German propa-
gNnda that, In many instances, Russian