The courier-index. (Marianna, Ark.) 1917-current, 1918-07-05
Why We Fight
no. o
Rsosuse Cermsn LOst OF Cosqnest
Mensces ip Many Ways Our
Very National Existence
L SPEED
By CLARENCE L. SPEED S.ns
s.cretary az the War Committee % Wv
Union League Club Of Chicago.

secretary OF the war John b;@sgo
Union League Club OF Chic~eo
Apv one of the reasons why we are
st war with Germany, menuoneo ~
nrevious articles of this series, "ooAu
ha sufficient justification for TINS ma
ton taking up arms. only eAl,
patience. coupled, often, WIKI eohpAe'e
failure to recognize the SERIOUSNESS "a
! tho German menace to America anu
Tho world. kept the United States our
of the war for nearly three years u
fore If finally decided to JOIN IN. !"
foct justification for war with Ter
many existed years before the eohAiio'
In Europe was begun.
II has been shown that Germany
for years, had been plotting WITHIN our
horders. encouraging Immigrants 10
became citizens and at the same tine
remain faithful to the kaiser. she
filled our land with spies ana agehss
OF disorganlzatlon when, TO al ou'. ,
ward appearances, relations between
America and Germany, were OF Tue
most friendly character.
From evidence supplied by the Ger
mans themselves, 1t has been SHOWN
that Germanys doctrine that might
alone Is right would menace the very
. independence Of the United States just
as surely as ii destroyed that OF Ser
bia and Belgium, just as soon as Ger
MANY felt herself strong enough 70
make a formal attack. German iust
Events of the last year have proven
that Germany, having split the world
In half by her creation OF Mifteieu-
roma. extending from the Baltic almost
10 the Persian gulf, was planning 10
deyour 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 hail
was still making resistance.
Finally, when the collapse OF Russia
revealed the fact that Germany was
fighting. not war of self-preserva-
ton. but one of conquest pure ana
simple, and that the freedom OF the
entire world was menaced, any ques-
ZION Of why we are fighting seemed
superf1Cous.
The milirary party in Germany start
ed the war because 1t believed the time
ripe for conquest.
proof that ambition, and not consid-
Grafton of Its own safety, prompted
Germany to begin the war is given Dy
the fact that Serbia and Belgium, two
helpless little nations, were the hrst
attacked.
Germany had under no compulsion,
signed a solemn treaty to protect the
neutrality Of Belgium. When she
branded this treaty "a scrap of paper"
she gave proof that all her treaties
would be so considered when her In
terests demanded. In other words,
Germany's invasion of Belgium meant
the tearing up Of every treaty which
existed between Germany and other
nations. II 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
glum, SURPRISING anything ever before
known In modern history, gave further
evidence that the world was not safe
| as long as such a government existed
IN 1t.
| Then came Germany's conduct on
the sea. With her battlefield craveniy
seeking shelter behind the defenses or
p, the Kiel canal, Germany sent out her
submarines and began war on un-
armed merchantmen. Women and chill.
(lren were her victims. American ctu-
zens by the score went down to desth
on the Lusitania. The United States
made protest, and Germany promised
to mend her ways. Inls she did, for
time, until she could build feet OF
] bigger and better submarines, and then
her pirate sea warfare broke out with
1 fresh vigor. How could we keep out
of war when Germany, after ruthlessly
killing our citizens, deliberately closed
the sea 10 us2
German plotters and spies, under
the direct leadership of the German
ambassador to this country, worked
almost openly, blowing up industrial
plants, sinking ships In our harbors
and menaeing railroads and canals.
Germany, spurred by successes
openly began to announce plans fol
disciplining the United States. She
scofed at the Monroe doctrine, and
tried to create German state II
Brazil which, in time would be stronf
enough TO bring about a revolution ant
overthrow democratic government
there.
BY ber huge ornaments, her disre
! gard Of treaties, and her evident re
lance on force alone, Germany was
rapidly making the world an unsafe
place in which to live, forcing all 9th
or nations to adopt the military sys
TEN, or be at her mercy.
The German ambition 10 force Ger
man kultur on the remainder of th'
/ .--,.a4 v..o1l .,--x>IossaA X11lfuvr Il