The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-02-27
SIXTEEN CAUSES OF WAR

The United States entered the war
with Germany because it wanted
peace in the world, according to Pro-
lessor Andrew c. McLaLughlin, head
of the department of history at the
University Of Chicago. UNLESS we
entered the war. to take our part and
bear our suffering in the awful task OF
! conquering the militaristic, sword
proud government that boosted of its
prowess, we could do little or nothing
for peace" he declares in his article
on Sixteen Causes of War; issued
as the fourth of the University of Chi
cago War Papers.
Germany might be triumphant;
and If she We're not, peace based on
| justice and hope seemed practically
! impossible without our help. We can
not be accused of seeking financial
gain or profiting by territorial con-
quest. And thus to our bounden duty
to defend ourselves was added duty
to the world The German govern
ment and above all the autocratic
principles of Prussia are a remnant
land a survival of hoary doctrines and
practices Of an early age. Those
principles and practices are tenfold
more dangerous than ever before be-
cause they have summoned to their
support modern science, modern in
dustrialfsm, and crude and awful
materialism. If Germany cannot
cleanse herself and emerge into the
light, the outside nations must either
do the task for her or themselves
adopt the conscienceless program OF
suspicion, intrigue, and forcible mill
tary conquest Germany can be
brought and must be brought within
the circle of cooperating nations"
Besides feeling that we entered the
war for the sake Of peace, Professor
Mclaughlin believes that we entered
the war because the world is too
small to contain the principles for
which Germany and the United States
stand There was no use in arguing
about it, he says, "the world was too
organically united: it could not en-
compass two warning principles Of life
warning, that is to say, and deadly
in their antagonism, even in times of
so-called peace.
I'VE thus found ourselves arrayed
against the whole system, policy, and
philosophy of indecent German world
politics. We saw ourselves endanger-
ed by a principle, and shocked by its
NhuSt we 30 Ou Ky lnS w
develop. enlarge, and make more real
the fundamental ethics of democracy
trying to solve. on the basis OF JUS
tice and propriety and human right.
the multitude of social problems
which beset us-and must we do this
knowing that a suspicious, intriguing
nation was watching our every step
and spying on our every action-a ma
ton whose unworthy government
nurses the delusion that her pathway
to power leads over the misfortunes
and distress Of others? Or must we,
too, become secretive, vulgarly am
bilious, and love darkness better than
light? There was no use in talk
ing about it; the world cannot per-
manently exist or longer live half
safe and half-free."
A little later, in discussing Presi-
dent Wilson's theory with regard to
making the world safe for democracy,
he says: President Wilson has not,
as some people think, asserted that
Prussia must adopt a democratic form
of government He has simply said
that German rulers cannot be trusted;
any arrangement with them for peace,
unbacked by the people OF Germany,
is mere bauble. While we do not de-
mand that Germany adopt the forms
of democratic government, we do in
sist that peace and the security of ma