River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1918-11-21
Germany'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.
Ry EDWARD w. PIcKARD.

BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD.
Autocratic miIitarism, imbued with
an overpowering greed for world
domination, started the Great War.
Democracy, inspired with decency
and common sense, ended it.
"AII wars are commercial 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 up their mighty military
machine extended their espionage sys-
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 it 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
s'Mittel Europa" a dominion extend
ing from the North sea to the Persian
iVaiY rio GnrnC
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
@'The Day."
Excuse Was Ready-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 a Serbian. That this crime
was inspired to serve as a 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 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 it's 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 COM
PEELED to mobilize, and the kaiser's
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
It's 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-
sistance.
On August German troops entered
France at Grey and began moving
through Luxembourg, despite the spir-
dted 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
that had guaranteed the neutrality OF
his kingdom.
All this time Great Britain had
been striving to avert the outbreak OF
a 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
4'scrap of paper" and invaded Belgium
Great Britain jumped to the rescue.
Her mighty fleet was modified and
her army, pitifully small, began NOV
ing across the channel. Then events
came with dazing rapidity. One at
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 overrun all but narrow
strip of Belgium, the Hun armies be-
gan what Berlin fondly believed was
to be a triumphal march to Paris
EnoIaud'S little regular army was