The Brinkley argus., 1918-08-09
Why We Fight
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By CLARENCE L. SPEED Union I<ea9ue Club of Chicago.

By CLARENCE L. SPEED sscretary of the War Connittee Of the
 Union League Club of Chicago Any one sf the rGssoos why we ars 1t war with Germany. mentioned ID previous articles of this series. would De sufficient justification for this na- ton taking up arms. Only extreme patience, coupled, oftea, with complete failure to recognize the seriousness q the German menace to America ano the world, kept the United etstes ost of the war for nearly three years be- fore 1t finally decided to join in. In 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 ouH borders, encouraging immigrants to became citizens and at the anne time remain faithful to the kaiser. She filled our land with spiee and agents of disorsanixation when, to all out ward appearances, relations between America and Germany, were o1 tne 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 the very independence of the United States just as surely as 1t destroyed that or Scr bia and Belgium, inst as soon as Ger many felt herself strong enough to make a formal attack. German iost of conquest knew no bounds.
 Events of the last year have proven that Germany, having split the world in half by her creation of Mitteleu- 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 part, at least, Of the other haiI was still making resistance.
 Finally, when the collapse of Russia revealed the fact that Germany was f fighting, not a war of self-preserVa- tion. but one of conquest pure and l simp'e. and that the freedom of the entire world was menaced, any ques- tion of why we are fighting seemed superfuous.
 The military party in Germany start ed the war because it believed the tune ripe for conquest.
 Proof that ambition, and not consid- eration of it's own safety, prompted ] Germany to begin the war is given by the fact that Serbia and Belgium, two 1 helpless little nations, were the first attacked.
 Germany had under no compulslon' 1 signed q solemn treaty to protect the < neutrality of Belgius. When she branded this treaty "a scrap of Naper, she gave proof that all her treaties would be so considered when her in' terests demanded. In other words Germany's lnvae -------of Belgium meant the tearing up of every treaty which existed between Germany and other nations. It was ample justification for America going to war at that moment
 This did not spur America at the time, but Germany's cruelties in Bel gium. surpassing anything ever before known in modern history, gave further evidence that the world was not safe as long as such government existed in it.
 Then came Germany's conduct on the sea. With her batuefeet cravenly seeking shelter behind the defenseS oi the Kiel canal, Germany sent ouJ hei submarines end began a war on un' armed merchantmen Women and ehli dren were her victims. American ci1 zens by the score went down to deatf on the Iusitauia The United States made protest and Germany promised to mend her ways This she did fol q time. unll she could build Heet o bigger and better submarines and yEel her pirate sea warfare bgoke out WlIl fresh vigor. How could we keep oui of war when Germany. after ruthlessly killing our citizens, deliberately closed the sea to usf
 German plotters and spies, uudei the direct leadership of the GemuaI ambassador to this country worked almost openly, blowing up ipdus'ria plants, sinking ships in our harbars and meHaeine railroads and canals,
 Germany spuTed by successes openly begun to announce plans f0l diSCpliuiug ehe United States, Sb, sconed at the Monroe doctrine. anC tried t0 eare German state il Brazil which h tme would be strong enough to brn about a revolution ant overthrow democratic government there.
 By her huge armaments, her dlsre gard of treaties, and her evident TO liance on force alone, Germany was rapidly making the world an unsafe place in which to live forcing all oth- er nations to adopt the military svs. tem or be at her mercy
 The German ambition to force Ger man kultur on the remainder of the world was well exploited Kulu8r, t0 the German mind, was not what cuis ture is to US. t was the whole Ger nan system, of government. of coul-