The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-22
Why We Fight
Not
Bsosuse German Lust q Coeqpsss
Msnaces In Many Ways Our
Very National Rxistenoe
BY CLARENCE l.. SPEC

a
BY CLARENCE L. SPEED
Of the War Committee OF enN
Union League Club OF Chicago
Any one OF the reasons why We azS
1t war with Germany, mentioned 10
previous articles of this series, wouio
be sufficient justification for this ma
ton taking up arms. Only extreme
patience, coupled, often, with complete
to recognize the seriousness or
the German menace to America ana
the world, kept the United States ou9
Of the war for nearly three years De1
fore it finally decided to Join In. Ii
fact justification for war with der1
many existed years before the connlcS
In Europe was begun.
It has been shown that Germany
for years. had been plotting within our
borders, encouraging immigrants to
became citizens and at the same time
remain faithful to the kaiser. She
filled our land with spies and agents
Of Reorganization when, to all QUIT
ward appearances, relations between
America and Germany, were OF .tnS
most friendly character.
From evidence supplied b. the .GerS
mans themselves It has been shown
that Germany's doctrine that migh9
alone Is right would menace the very
Independence Of the United States JUST
as surely as It destroyed that Of Serf
bia and Belgium. just as soon as GerS
many felt herself strong enough t4
make q formal attack. German lus9
OF conquest knew no bounds.
Events of the last year have proven
that Germany, having split the world
In half by her creation Of q Aitteleuf
ropa, extending from the Baltic almost
to the Persian gulf, was planning to
devour the halves separately. The facS
that our half Of the world was being
reserved for dessert was all the more
q why we should enter the wa4
while q part, at least, Of the other half
was still making resistance.
Finally, when the collapse Of Russf4
revealed the fact that Germany wat
fighting, not q war OF self-preservaf
ton, but one Of conquest pure and
simple, and that the freedom of tho
entire world was menaced, any Quesf
ton Of why w 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
n~nAf@~ - N<c nrrvn coR0tv nFnnnfnn
Germany to. begin the war is given By
the fact that Serbia and Belgium, two
helpless little nations, were the first
attacked.
Germany had under M compulsory
signed a solemn treaty to protect th(
neutrality Of Belgium. When shd
branded this treaty "a scrap Of paper.7
she gave proof that all her treated
would be so considered when her in
terests demanded In other words
Germany's invasion Of Belgium meant
the tearing up of every treaty which
existed between Germany and othe(
nations. It was ample justification fol
America going to war at that moment
This did not spur America at thu
time, but Germany's cruelties in BeA
GUM, surprising anything yer before
known In modern history, gave further
evidence that the world was not safe
as long as such q government existed
In 1t. ~~~'"''"sss~
Then came Germany's conduct on
the sea. With her battlefield cravenlH
seeking shelter behind the defenses Of
the Kiel canal, Germany sent out he1
submarines and began a war on UNI
armed merchantmen. Women and chile
dren were her victims American City
Gems by the score went down to death
on the Lusitania. The United States
made a protest, and Germany promised
to mend her ways. This she did, for
q time, until she could build q feet Of
bigger and better submarines, and then
her pirate lei warfare broke out With
fresh v1gor. How could we keep OUT
Of war when Germany, after ruthlesslV
killing our citizens, deliberately closed
the e to us7 )
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 Statea She
scoRed at the Monroe doctrine, and
tried to create a German, state, in
Brazil which, In time would be strong
enough to bring about q revolution and
democratic governments
there. ,
By her huge ornaments, her disros
gard Of treaties, and her evident re-.
lance On force alone, Germany was
making the world an unsafe
place In which to live, forcing all otlDs
er nations to adopt the military syas
lem, or be at her mercy.
The German ambition to force Gett
man kultur on the remainder Of the
world was well exploited. Kultur, To
The German mind, was not what culA
lure 10 to ~. Il was the whole Qer1