East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1918-04-15

the free peoples Of the world from tas
menace and the actual power. q = vast
Irresponsible government, which, having
secretly planned to dominate the world,
RrosssSsS esss s,.t 70 carry out the Plan wlthout
tees and long. eherIshsd principles cf In
pcwsr i not Sf the Is German nS10i ipsSe: !. Il" is
the Futhiess master Of the German peo-
Pie: X y our business TO see 70
world 10 no longer Ieft 70 lts handling"
President Wilson, August 27, 1917.
DEMOCRACY VERSUS AUTocRACY
It is commonly said that this war
is one in which America was forced
to take part in order TO make the
world safe for densocraey." What
does the phrase mean?
The theories and acts of the Ger.
man military autocracy definitely deny
the right Of the people of a state to
rule themselves. The German people,
in spite Of forms Of government that
make a pretense Of popular control.
have no such actual control over their
governors as exists in democraticalIy
organized nations. In those nations
the governors con be removed by a
vote Of the people in a general eiec-
tion; in Germany the people have not
this power.
The aristocracy Of Germany under.
stand this difference, and are afraid
Of the spread of democracy in Ger
many. The whole, mueh-admired "effi-
cheney" of Germany is primarily due
TO desperate and constant effort by
Germany's rulers TO divert the German
people from thoughts OF self-govern-
ment. by offering them material pros
perity. And the rulers have sue
ceeded. One OF the causes Of this
war was the necessity, by stiil fur
ther glorious acquisitions of terri
tory" TO hush the murmurfngs of
political discomfort in Germany. Vic.
tory in war. every so often, is nee
esstty OF the German system. "It is
for social as much as for national
and political reasons that we must
fix our minds necessarily upon war"
Success is necessary TO gain infiu- |
ence over the masses" wrote Bern |
hardi; and General Won Bissing, Just |
before his death, wrote a Political |
Testament" since largely circulated in |
Germany, in which he argued for the |
retention Of Belgium, because, unless |
&c mere dnnered, the prestige Of the |
giiIitGTv GHtocrdcV s0ouId receive
fatal blot0
Are we-are the Allies-then fight. t
ing to impose upon Germany a diff 1
ferent system: is that the meaning Of |
making the world safe for democ-
racy?"
Elihu Root says that American /
ideals include liberty not 4
for themselves alone but for all who
are oppressed" Lloyd George asserts
that IL all countries had been demo- |,
cratieaily organized, this war would
not have taken place; that this war
will determine not merely interna-
tional relations, but will affect the
lives of peoples tDithin their OtDn ma
tons, for generations to come: that
his war is to end in international
democracy" 1. e.. in liberty, equal
ty. and fraternity. betaoeen nations.
great and small. General SHUTS. for
nerly a soldier against Great Britain
n South Africa, says that the essence
" this war is the question whether
]
might or on principles OF
guilty. justice. fairness and equality"
Various writers have depicted this
var as a test OF democracy, to de-
ermine whether democracy can ad-
ust itself TO an emergency so that by
heer efficiency II shall at least equal
he efficiency OF a military autocracy. i.
nd assert that on this ground alone 4
he future government of all the ma n
Ions Of the world is at stake VIII
'rooks. the British labor leader. says
HIS war lis a peoples war. We are all
a IL, the man at the village pump and
q the fields. the blacksmith. the car
enter and joiner. the shipwright, and
he man Of leisure. We are standing
Igether because toe are fighting for
berfp" n
Yes. this war Is one in which ideals II
government, OF individual liberty, q
civilization itself are In conflict. =, u
emocracy is lined up against autoc. :,
ICY The war is in absolute fact a
ar OF ideals. But We are not Tight :
lg to impose our ideals upon any
alton. What We are fighting for.
making the world safe for democ-
Icy.' is to prevent MILITARY dHfOc-
lcU from imposing its authority and
s ideals upon as. We are ready 10
sep on minding our own business
I'd TO let other nations do the same
military Rutocracy that proposes
conquer the world must be de-
ated. to the point where Il renounees
eddling with other nations. great or
nall. OF there is no peace In the
orld. That is the issue al stake.
ID in II rests our safety aud the
fety Of the world.