Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-03-27
LENR00T APPEALS TO AMERICANS

driven from the seas over hundred
years.
President Wilson properly and
promptly dissolved diplomatic rela-
tons with Germany and asked for
authority to arm merchant ships for
defense.
That authority as you know was
denied thru a filibuster in the Senate
During the month of March the Ger
man. government carried out it's
threat and many American vessels
were sunk and many American lives
were lost. This was coldblooded muir
der by Germany. The result was the
war message of President Wilson to
Congress, and the Declaration of a
State of War by Congress.
Prior to the Declaration of War.
believed that our part in the war
could be confined to the sea and that
our quarrel with Germany was con-
fined to her violation of our rights
upon the sea. But that was not the
extent of Germany's offending.
In January last, the German For
eign Office sent to the German min
lister in Mexico, the following note
made public last summer:
Ion the first of February we intend
to begin submarine warfare unre-
stricted. In spite of this, it is our in
tention to endeaor to keep neutral the
United States of America. If this
attempt is not successful, we propose
an alliance on the following basis with
Mexico: That we shall make war to-
gether and together make peace. We
shall give general financial support,
and it is understood that Mexico is to
reconquer the lost territory in New
Mexico, Texas and Arizona. The de-
tails are left to you for settlement.
You are instructed to inform the Pres
ident of Mexico of the above in the
greatest confidence, as soon as it is
certain there will be an outbreak of
war with the United States, and sug-
gest that the President of Mexico, on
his own initiative should communicate
with Japan suggesting adherence at
once to this plan; at the same time
offer to mediate between Germany and
Japan.
"'Please call to the attention of the
President of Mexico that the employ
nent of ruthless submarine warfare
now promises to compel England to
make peace in a few months.
(Signed) Zimmerman
you will notice that in this mes
sage. Germany, while proposing war
upon the United States, still hoped
to keep the United States neutral
We are not without information as to
how they expected this would be done
ION Jan. 22nd last, about the same
time the Mexican note was written,
Count Won Bernstorff sent to the
Berlin foreign office, the following
message: L request authority to pay
out $4,000, in order as on former oc-
casions to influence Congress thru the
organization you know of, which can
perhaps prevent war. | am beginning
in the meantime to act accordingly.
In the above circumstances, a public
official, German declaration in favor
or Ireland is highly desirable, in order
to gain the support of the Irish infiu-
ence here
But this is not all. BY direct order
of the German government destruc-
ton of American factories was carried
on Germany thru it's spies and
United States and destroyed Ameri-
can property here.
why are we at war? Can any
ask that question. We are not at
war primarily to secure liberty for
other peoples, but we are at war to
preserve our own liberty. not alone
upon the sea but upon the land as
well. The acts of which we complain
are not the acts of the German people
but are the acts of the autocracy of
Germany headed by the Kaiser, whose
mind is seething with ambition. as
was Napoleon's, to conquer and rule
the world. The fact that the German
people support the autocracy does not
disprove this statement, for we have
abundant proof that the Kaiser has
lied to his own people as he has lied
to the rest of the world.
1.-The German government did not
dare permit the publication of Presi-
dent Wilson's war message in full in
Germany. / have in my pocket
copy of the message as printed in
Germany and more than one-half has
been suppressed by the German gov
eminent. But some say they could
heartily support the war if our soil
was actually invaded by German arm
les but are unwilling to send our boys
5000 miles across the sea to fight
We may thank God that this war is
being carried on upon foreign soil
instead of our own.
mo soldier of the United States is
lying awake tonight fearing that his
wife or daughter may be raped, the
hands of his children cut off or his
parents shot. We may thank God
that we are not fighting this war
alone If a fire should threaten your
city you would not wait until your
own house had actually caught fire
before assisting in putting it out. A
fire like the Kaiser knows no mercy
il makes no distinction between hui
man beings and property: it destroys
everything in its path. and one must
either fight it or run away from it,
But some say Germany could never
invade us Let Germany conquer
England. France and Italy and acquire
their navies, what would prevent their
invading our shores9 Our fleet as
against these combined fleets would
be bottled up in some port. as the Ger
man fleet is now bottled up, South
America, Central America and Mexico
would be theirs with scarcely a strug-
gle. II would then be as easy for
them TO land armies on Mexican soil as
il Is now for us TO land our armies in