Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-11-22
HOW THE WAR WAS
FOUGHT And WON
6ermany's Monstrous Conspir-
acy and Its Defeat by Forces
of Civilization.
WORLD DOMINATION SOUGHT
Americas Entrance the Decisive Fac
tor In the Mighty Struggle in
Which Democracy Triumphed
Over irresponsible Auto
cratic MiIitarism.
BY EDWARD W. PIcKARp.


BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD.
Autocratic militarism, imbued with
an Overpowering greed for world
domination, started the Great War.
Democracy, inspired with decency
and common sense, ended it.
Cali wars are commerciaP is a say
ing that is true of all modern wars.
The greatest war of all time, just end
ed, was no less so than others, for
though it was made by the military
class of Germany, it was for the bene-
fit of commercial Germany, for the
conquest of the trade of the world.
Ever since the defeat of France in
1870 and the formation of the German
empire the ruling classes of Germany
had been assiduously preparing for
the mighty struggle that began in
1914. Secretly at times, with braZen
franknesS at others, they laid their
plans, built pup their mighty military
machine. extended their espionage sys-
TEN 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 ali this or looked on it as
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 preliminaries, 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 Ready-Made.
Merely an excuse was needed to
precipitate the conflict, and this was
afforded on June 2S, 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 q preteXt is
evidenced by the fact that everything
was prepared a few days in advance
for putting the German military ma
chine in motion. Austria, under or
ders from Berlin, made demands OF
Serbia to which no self-respecting ma
ton could submit, and on July % de
clared war on its neighbor. Russia, al
ally of and sponsor for Serbia, mo
bilized its armies at once, despite the
i protests of Germany, whereupon thu
kaiser declared war on Russia
France, being in offensive and defens
i've alliance with Russia, was com
PEELED to mobilize, and the kaiser
armed forces got into action at once
The course of events so far had beel
foreseen by the German high com
mand and it was in accordance witt
its prearranged plan, which was t.
crush France by swift advance Oh
Paris, and then to turn about ant
make an end of Russia's military re
sistance.
On August German troops entered
France at Grey and began movini
through Luxemburg, despite the spir
tied protests of the grand duchess
and Berlin asked Belgium to permi
the passage of troops through tha
country This was refused, the kin
of Belgium appealing to the rower
that had guaranteed the neutrality o
his kingdom.
/ All this time Great Britain ha
been striving to avert the outbreak 0
general war, and Germany reste
complacently on the information o
her spies that the British would no
enter into the conflict. But. Berli
reckoned without the British spirit O
fair play and faithfulness to treaties
and when the kaiser tore up tn
scrap of paper" and invaded Belgiur
Great Britain jumped to the rescue
Her mighty feet was mobilized an
her army, pitifulfy small, began mo-
ing across the channel. Then event
came with dazing rapidity. One a
ter another the nations fell into lin
against the Germans and Austro-Hur
garians, but the Teutons were read
and the others, except France, %er
not.
The Invasion of Belgium.
: On August began one of the mo:
shamefE. chapters in the history {
the world-the rape of Belgium. Kin
J Albert and his heroic little asTny r.
sisted to their utomst, but the suppo
edly impregnable forts of Liege, M
mur and other Belgian towns WEI
speedily reduced by the Hun canno
. and the land and its people we're mao
J captive. The atrocities committed /
i the Germans, officers and private
alike, will remain blot on the nan
i, of Germany to the end of all tim
The world has been SO well informe
concerning those brutal crimes that
is unnecessary to recapitulate them.
Having overrun all but a narro
strip Of Belgium, the Hun armies b
, gan what Berlin fondly believed ws
, TO be a triumphal march to Pari
, England's little regular army w;
, thrown across their path and fougl
, and died almost to man, and side
side with them the French Poilus CO
tested every foot. They were pusht