Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-08-20

Would psSsst Germany fer the Sake
af An1n asaifx

Why SIAN 10 FIGHTING
Would ps<sst Germany for the Sake
Of Humanity.
Washington. Aug. 1o.-Six thousand
miles from Germany. half way be-
tween Aandalay and Bangkok. great
herds of Asiatic elephants are work
ing from dawn to dusk along the Sal
ween and Chow Phega rivers pulling
RATS with a dexteri!y hat would ex-
cite the admiration of a Minnesota
lumberjack
Thousands and thousands Of these
teak RATS float down the river to tide
water and eventually arrive at Pan
coon and Bangkok Thence they are
shipped to the navy yards Of the Al
lies, to be turned into the invincible
wooden walls Of England. the armor
base for the battleships OF America
and France.
These elephants a-pillin' teak In
the sludgy. saudgy creek" are for
warding one Of Slams chief contribu-
tions toward winning the war for
civilization. Germany must find some
sort Of resinous pine substitute for
her dreadnaughts. but the Allies may
continue to use the one wood, i'm
pervious to water and a shock alb
sorber Of the first rank. on which
nickel steel armor plate may best be
bolted. Since Siam declared war on
Germany a year ago she has speeded
up her teak production. as she has
all her other industries, and today
there is not an Allied warship in the
making. that lacks for this most val
liable OF all naval lumbers.
Not for Profit.
But Siam entered the war not on
account of what she could do for the
Allies In q material way. nor. indeed.
for what they could do for her. Siam
had certain grievances against Ger
many.-Teuton agents. for instance.
were extremely active within her ter
ritories. But the war to her was
largely a moral issue and her entry
was primarily an answer Of con.
science to President Wilson's circular
appeal addressed to the neutral ma
tions Of the world.
The basis OF Slams gallant action
were these three considerations:
Germany's fragrant contempt for all
principles of humanity and for the
rights Of small powers. her barbarous
methods Of conducting war, and the
fact that neutrality was neither feasi-
BILE nor desirable for Siam when the
peace of the world was involved. AS
King Rama vi. put it in his procla-
nation done on the 22d day Of July
| In the year of our Lord Buddah 2460:
1T Is the duty OF Siam, as one OF
the family Of nations. to uphold the
sanctity Of international law"
And Slam, also finding herself at
war, began to find ways In which she
could help win 1t. The country Is
as large as Germany. and King Rama
has 100000 subjects. who display
as thoroughly modern tendencies as
any people Of the east. not except
ing the japanese. Siam took part in
the Allied conference at Versailles
last November and agreed to place
her entire resources at the disposal
Of the Entente alliance.
Seized German Ships.
Her first act Of war was the seizure
Of nine German steamships interned
In her ports. These have now been
repaired and are in the service Of the
Allies. ne next proceeded to stamp
out German propaganda snd enemy
plots.
Siam Was conveniently situated
between British possessions on the
one side and French colonies on the
other for German underground opera
tions both In India and In Indo-
China. Today there Is not a pro-
German who dares raise his head In
Siam and even the 2.000-mile coast
line Is carefully patrolled to prevent
the operations Of German raiders or
political ships" bound for India AS
for German born Germans, the sew
eral hundred who found their way to
Siam before the war have had their
activities restricted to internment
camps for a year. with release In
sight only when the great peace pact
Is signed.
In times OF peace Siam maintains
an army Of $4,000. On a war basis
this army extends to 100000 without
difficulty. Though 1t Is built up along
modern lines, 1t Is hardly likely that
II will be needed in Europe, or even
in the near east. But that Siam Is
very keen for representation on the
battle front appears from the fact
that she has already sent to France
an aviation unit Of 500 men. Her
flying men were trained in Europe
and In turn trained others Of their
fellow w-countrymen until, 1t might be
said, Siam now masters the air Of
the east.
Siam. however. is no Oriental David
challenging the Teutonic Goliath. 1t
Is not expected that she will sling the
shot which will finish Germany. Her
aid Is chiefly moral. One Of the most
progressive nations of the east. she
stands leagued with the free peoples
Of the earth against military barbar-
ism. Her act of war was as bold as
ours and, In its degree, as potent.
PALESTINE JEWS REJOICE