Arizona republican., 1918-04-12

German people. It is the ruthless master of the German people.
 l. IS our business to see to it that the history Of the rest of the world is no longer lett to it's handling. .-President Wilson, August 27, 1917.
 We Figth For Good Faith
 The faith of treaties is the only soild foundation on which Temple of Peace can be built up'' (James Bryce.) Good faith between nations. as be- tween men, is the one and only safe guard from a return to barbarism. Without it brute force, sheer might. must rule. Without it there is no se- curlty, in human relations-no secur- lty, even, for life itself. To keep ones word, when once given, that is the evil dence of the progress of civilization. and the test of it.
 Hence the case of Belgium becomes the single greatest German offense against civilization in this war. At llrst, In our American ignorance of world conditions, we did not see this. we do see 1t now: more and more we realize that until the crime against Belgium is atoned for, there can be no peace, and no hope of a world at peace What are the facts? By treaties signed in 1915, and again in 1881. and stlll again in 1889, this last revision being Tn effect in 1914, it was agreed Belgium shall form perpetualIy neutral state. The five powers guar antee to 1t this perpetual neutrality. as also the invioia biity of it's terri l tory" These five powers were Austria Trance, Great Britain, Russia, and Prussia. By such treaties the neutral state was pledged to defend in arms 1 the neutrality of it's territory; and each ot the great powers pledged itself ! not only not to march troops into or 1 through the neutral state, but also to aid her, in case her territory were violated.
 The world, thinking no nation so I base as to break it's word, was com | pletely taken by Surprise by the at tack on Belgium. But we know now, from German statements, that German military plans had for five years m tended to break this pledge. German rulers lied as to this consistently, and lied up to the last day. On the morn ing before the German troops advanced, l tue German minister assured Belgium she need not feel no alarm, and in the evening of that same day he delivered his ultimatum.
 The world has never seen so com plete denial of the binding effect of the pledged word. Why has Germany so lost sight of the principle of honor among nations? Her own answer re- yeals the cause; it is again the plea of might. The fate that Belgium has called down upon herself (note the hypocrisy of this) is hard, but not too hard, for the destinies of the immortal great nations stand so high that they can not but have the right in case of need, to stride over exist encies that can not defend themselves tProfessor Oncken) When the British minister at Berlin notified the German chancellor that Great Britain was Ill honor bound to defend Belgium's neu trality, the latter argued that this was Terrible" war just for q word. neutrality just for scrap of paper The pitiful-yes, the terrible-signifi- canoe of such atterances, is that Ger mans believe them justified.
 If l am asked what we are fight ing for said Prime Minister Asquth "I can reply in two sentences. In the first place, to fulfill an obligation not only of law, but of honor which no elf-respecting man could possibly have repudiated; secondly, tc vindicate the principle :. that small nationalities are not to be crushed, in defiance of internationa good faith.'
 America was not direct guarantor like Great Britain. of the neutrality oi Belgium. though in various conven- tions (of which Germany also was a signer) we pledged to the maintenance of the world principle of good faith. : But every nation was attacked wher Germany broke faith. The law pro. tectins Belgium which was violated was our law and the law of eyer,