Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1918-07-19


at war with Germany, mentioned ID
previous articles Of this series, wOult
be sufficient Justification for this na
ton taking up arms. Only extreme
patience. coupled, often. with completG
failure to recognize the seriousness Of
the German menace to America and
the world, kept the United States oui
Of the war for nearly three years be
fore It finally decided TO Join In. II
fact justification for war with Ger
many existed years before the conflict
IN Europe was begun.
It has been shown that Germany
for years. had been plotting within our
borders, encouraging Immigrants ID
became citizens and at the same time
remain faithful to the kaiser. She
Allied our land with spies and agents
Of dlsorganization when, to all out
ward appearances, relations between
America and Germany, we've Of tha
most friendly character.
From evidence supplied BY the Ger
mans themselves, 1t has been shown
that Germany's doctrine that might
alone Is right would menace tina very
Independence 81 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 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 MitteIeu.
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 hall
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
superfluous.
The military party in Germany start
ed the war because 1t 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 frs
attacked.
Germany had under no compulsion
signed a solemn treaty to protect th'
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 degnanded. In other words
Germany's invasion Of Belgium mean
the tearing up OF every treaty which
existed between Germany and othei
nations. 1t was ample justification fol
America going to war at that moment
This did not spur America at thu
time, but Germany's cruelties in Bel
GUM, surprising anything ever befor
known in modern history, gave furthe.
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 battleheet cravenly
seeking shelter behind the defenses Of
the Kiel canal, Germany sent out hel
submarines and began war on IN,
armed merchantmen. Women and chill
dren we're her victims. American citi
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
q time, until she could build feet oil
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 sen 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 Ia
Brazil which, In time would be strong
enough to bring about revolution and
overthrow democratic government
here.
By her huge ornaments, her dIsre.
gard Of treaties, and her evident re.
lance on force alone, Germany was
'apidly making the world an unsafe
place In which to live, forcing all 9TH
y nations to adopt the military syss
EN-, or be at her mercy.
The German ambition to force Gera
nan kultur on the remainder Of the
world was well exploited. Kultur, to
he German mind, was not what cul.
ure il to Us. II was the whole Ger.
aan system, Of government, Of com.
and Of life. There was
% place for democracy In a world
7hich bore the stamp Of German kul.
M re- NC valuovl ~. &C.,, - ,..-...