The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-01-21
War Forced on Us.

I'VE were peace loving nation,
not desiring any part in the war.
We dreamed of the time when
swords should be beaten into plough
shares and spears into pruning
hooks. We did not want anything
except to be let alone and to be
happy. We have found, too, that it
does not take two to make a quar-
rel as we have been taught We
have learned that one nation, one
ruler, persevering and determined to
provoke war can do SO, if the nation
so provoked has any red blood in it.
1t was all right before the war for
us to talk against war, and congress
men to vote against it. But now,
after the legally constituted machin-
cry of this nation has spoken, and
has taken its stand, then no man
should say or do one single thing
to weaken the cause. Many people
who believe that we should keep out
of war, now accept in full spirit Iand
in full heart that doctrine of Stephen
Decatur, My country, In her deal
ings with other nations may she al
ways be in the right, but right or
wrong, my country 1t is pure Amer
icanism.
have many times, and since see
ing the slaughter at the front, thank
ed. God that this republic came in
with clean hands. We waited, to
the point Of extreme patience. Our
president tried, congress tried, the
people tried to keep out of war.
What more could we do We saw
the Lusitania sunk. and we were
given the promises of Germany only
rs hr11y rry1aV
was sunk. We knew that spies were
abroad. and that plots and schemes
were being Matched in the ambassa-
doris home at Washington. We hoped
that God would show US way. There
was nothing to do but give up, or
give in. Should we surrender the
seas? What could we say to our
merchants and our farmers, if we
had said yes, and submitted to the
edict of sending only one boat week
across the ocean painted like bar
Der pole? Should we sit by and let
the Germans come over and take
Canada? We had either to run or
to fight, and we did the only thing
that red blooded people will do, we
decided to fight
The Glorified Jackass
II once heard an argument be-
tween student of Shakespeare who
thought war was terrible and unholy
and doctor of divinity who was
pointing out to him the error of his
ways. Finally the preacher said:
well, supposing man should
! invade your house, slap your wife
and destroy your furniture, what
would you do?'
"The Shakesperian student said:
I'D try to get him to stop before
anybody got hurt
What are you to do with glori-
! fed iackass like that p demanded the
speaker, amidst the roars of laughter
and applause of the crowd. There
were evidently no pacitists in the
! audience.
Senator Kenyon declared that
| American citizenship was going to
| mean more after the war than it has
! for years. He quoted the Bible in
support of this, telling of Pauls
! query to the. guard when he asked
! him if he thought it was lawful to
scourge Roman The same thing
! will apply to America after the war,
! the senator said, and to be an Amer
| lean citizen will give entrance to any
| nation for they will know that he is
! backed by the power and might of
i the greatest nation in the world,
which will vindicate it's honor and
protect It's people.
| Then came the tribute to Presi-
dent Wilson that almost brought the
! crowd to its feet, and resulted in
wave after wave of applause.
The Tribute to Wilson.
"a greater issue has developed
now, and a greater vision must be
ours. I believe that our president
first OF all of us has seen that vision.
II am a republican. but | can tell you
! that there are no politics now. and
am proud to take off my hat to
President Wilson. the greatest of