Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-11-20
By EDWARD w. PtckARp.


tenn to all lands with the aid Of the
business houses and the diplomats.
Though warned by more than one stu
dent Of affairs. the world In general
ignored all this or looked on 1t as
merely boastfulness and legitimate
trade competition.
Germany's plan was nothing less
than an enormous conspiracy to es-
tablish what the conspirators knew as
"Mittel Europa" dominion extend
Ing from the North sea to the Persian
gulf. As preliminarles, German
princes were placed on thrones Of
middle Europe wherever possible, and
financial relations were established
that gave Germany virtual control
over the coveted countries. Then the
Hun autocracy impatiently awaited
1.-THE Day."
Excuse Was Rsady-Made.
Merely an excuse was needed to
precipitate the conflict, and this was
afforded on June %, 1914, by the as
sassination Of Archduke Ferdinand Of
Austria and his wife in Sarajevo, Bos.
mia, by Serbian. That this crime
was inspired to serve as a pretext is
evidenced by the fact that everything
was prepared few days In advance
for putting the German military ma
chine In motion. Austria, under or
ders from Berlin, made demands on
Serbia to which no self-respecting ma
ton could submit, and on July % de-
clared war on it's neighbor. Russia, as
ally Of and sponsor for Serbia, mo-
bilized its armies at once, despite the
protests of Germany, whereupon the
kaiser declared war on Russia.
France, being In offensive and defens-
I've alliance with Russia, was CON-
PEELED to mobilize, and the kaisers
armed forces got into action at once
The course Of events so far had been
~foreseen by the German high COM
mand and it was In accordance with
its prearranged plan, which was to
crush France by a swift advance on
Paris, and then to turn about and
make an end of Russia's military re-
distance.
On August 2 German troops entered
France at Grey and began moving
through Luxembourg, despite the spir-
tied protests Of the grand duchess,
and Berlin asked Belgium to permit
the passage of troops through that
country. This was refused, the king
of Belgium appealing to the powers
hot n%o hn NJ
his kingdom.
All this time Great Britain had
been striving to avert the outbreak OF
4 general war, and Germany rested
complacently on the information Of
her spies that the British would not
enter into the conflict. But Berlin
reckoned without the British spirit Of
fair play and faithfulness to treaties,
and when the kaiser tore up the
"scrap Of paper" and invaded Belgium
Great Britain jumped to the rescue.
Her mighty feet was modified and
her army, pitifully small, began NOV
ing across the channel. Then events
came with dazing rapidity. One af-
ter another the nations fell into line
against the Germans and Austro-Hun-
garians, but the Teutons were ready
and the others, except France, were
not.
The Invasion Of Belgium.
On August began one Of the most
shameful chapters in the history of
the world-the rape of Belgium. King
Albert and his heroic little army re-
sisted to their utomst, but the suppos-
eddy impregnable forts of Liege, Ma
muir and other Belgian towns were
speedily reduced by the Hun cannon
and the land and Its people were made
captive. The atrocities committed by
| the Germans, officers and privates
alike, will remain blot on the name
Of Germany to the end Of all time
The world has been so well Informed
concerning those brutal crimes that it
| is unnecessary to recapitulate them.
Having overrCn all but narrow
strip Of Belgium. the Hun armies be-
gan what Berlin fondly believed was
to be a triumphal march to Paris.
England's little regular army was
thrown across their path and fought
and died almost to man, and side by
side with them the French Poilus con-
tested every foot. They were pushed
back slowly but surely until the
Marne was reached and crossed by
the invading hosts and the capital
seemed to be within the grasp Of the
Huns. Then came forward the first
heroic figure Of the war; Marshal
lJonre Of France. Communicating
every motor vehicle in Paris, he rush
ed to the front the entire force left to
defend the capital and In mighty
battle along the Marine the Germans
were defeated. They had spread out
too: much and permitted their right
hank to be turned and were driven
back to the northeast. Reaching lines
prepared With this possibility u xtlH