Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1918-11-22
HOW THE WAR WAS
FOUGHT And WON
Germany's Monstrous Conspir-
acy and Its Defeat by Forces
OF Civilization.
WORLD DOMINATION SOUGHT
Americas Entrance the Decisive Fac.
tor in the Mighty Struggle in
Which Democracy Triumphed
over irresponsible Auto.
cratic Mil.tarism.
BY EDWARD w. PlCKARD.

BY EDWARD W. PickARD.
Aulocrntic mill,arlsm imbur'l with
MI oyerpowerlng greed for world
domination, started the Great War
Democracy, inspired with decency
and common sense. ended II.
All wars are commercial Is say
Ing that Is true of all modern wars
The greatest war Of all time. just end
cd, WIS no less 50 than others. Tor
though II was made by the military
class of Germany, II was for the bene'
81 of commercial Germany, for the
conquest Of the trade Of the world,
Ever since the defeat OF France In
1870 and the formation Of the German
empire the ruling classes Of Germany
bad been assiduously preparing for
the mighty struggle that began In
1914. Secretly at times. with brazen
frankness al others. they laid their
plans. built up their mighty military
machlue. extended their espionage sys-
TEN to all lnnds with the MD Of the
business houses and the diplomats,
Though warned by more than one stu.
dent of affairs. the world In general
ignored all this or looked on II ny
merely boastfulness and Legitimate
trade competition.
Germnny's plum was nothing less
han IN enormous conspiracy 10 cs
tabilsh what the conspratOrS knew as
"Mitlel Europa" dominion extend
Ing from the North sen to the Persian
gulf. As preliminnries, German
princes We're placed on thrones OF
middle Europe wherever possible, and
financial relations were established
that gave Germany virtual control
aver the coveted countries. Then the
Hun auiocrncy lmpaticnily awaited
''The Day
Excuse Was Ready. Made.
Merely an excuse was needed 10
preclpitate the conflict, aud this was
afforded on June 2S. 1914, by the ms.
sassinaiion Of Archdukc Ferdinand of
Austria and his wife in SaraJeyo. Bos-
MIA, by Il Serbian. That this crime
wss inspired TO serve as n pretexi is
evidenced by the fact that everything
was prepared few days IN advance
for putting the German military mt
At la. tnGtln Innnp
ders from Berlin, made demands on
Serbla TO which no sclt-respcciins ma
ton could submit. and on July ~ De.
cared war on Its neighb0r Russia. ms
ally OF and sponsor for Serbia, mo-
hilized Its armies at once. despite the
protests OF Germany, whcreupon the
kaiser declared war on Russia.
France. being in offensive and defens'
I've alliance with Russia, was COM
reiled TO mobilize. md the kalser's
armed forces got into action at once.
The course Of events so far had been
foreseen by the German high com
nland and II was in accordance WITH
its prearranged plan, which was to
crush France by swift advance on
Paris, and then In turn about and
make an end OF Russia's military re-
sistance.
On August = German troops entered
France at Grey and began moving
through Luxembourg. despite the spir.
tied protests of the grand duchess
and Berlin asked Belgium TO permit
the passage Of troops through that
country. This was refused, The king
81 Belgium appealing To the powers
That had guaranteed the neutrality OF
his kingdom.
All this time Great Britain had
been striving 10 avert the outbreak OF
. general war. and Germany rested
somplucently OH the information Of
her spies that The British would not
enter into the conflict But Berlin
reckoned without the British spirit OF
fair play and falthfuness to treaties.
and when the kaiser tore up the
scrap Of lelper" and invaded Belgium
Great Britain Jumped to the rescue,
Her mighty feet was mohilized and
her army, pitifully small. began NOV
ing across The channel. Then events
came with dazlng rapldlty. One af.
ter another the nations fell Into line
against the Germans and Austro-Hun'
garisns. but the Teutons were ready
nd the others. except France, we're
mot,
Tho Invasion Of Belgium.
On August began one OF the most
shameful chapters In the history VI
the world--the rape OF Belgium. king
Albert aud his heroic little army re.
sisted to their utomst, hut The Suppus'
edly impregnahle forts of llrgc, Ma.
mur and other Belgian towns were
speedily reduced by the Hun canton
and the land and its people were inside
captiye, The atrocities committed lay
the Germans, officers and privateS
alike. will remain blot on the name
VI Germany to the end of all time
The wsrld Inns been 50 well informed
those brutal crimes that IT
Is unnecessary 10 recapinlale lhepL
Having oyerrnn all but narrow
strip OF Belgium. The Hun armies be
gan what Berlin fondly believed was
10 be n triumphal march to Paris.
England's little regular army was
thrown across their path and fought
and died almost to n man, and side b!
side with them the French Poilus con
tested every foot They were pushed