The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1919-09-25
WHY DID AMERICA ENTER THE
GREAT WAR?


MANY for the relief Of humanity, to
make democracy safe throughout the
world; to give all people the right OF
self determination as to the form OF
under which they should
live and to guarantee them in that
right. In substantiation Of these
high, unselfish and altruistic motives,
the president used these words in a
speech delivered while in this section
of the west:
thousands of our gallant
youth lie buried in France and
buried for what? For the re-
demption of America? America
was not directly attacked. For the
salvation of America? America
was not Immediately in danger"
President Wilson has INDUCED in
so much visionary stuff regarding his
league of nations that it is we'll to re-
fresh our minds on some events OF
history in connection with the part
this country played in the great war
and why we played it. With so many
visions following each other In quick
succession as the presidential special
glides from place to place, the human
mind is liable to become befuddled in
an attempt to follow them, and may
lose its bearings altogether unless we
occasionally bark back to more sub
stantial landmarks to guide US in
reaching a conclusion. Answering his
own questions in regard to our part
in the war, the president says Am
erica was not directly attacked and
that america was not Immediately
in danger" Now let US go back,
year and half and see how the pres
ident viewed the matter then when
the war was at it's height and when
the American people were influenced
by no illusions regarding the cause
that finally forced the United States
to declare war. Up to that time
President Wilson had successfully
kept us out of war;" but even he
could no longer hold back the tide of
outraged Americanism as each day
brought news of American ships sunk
and American citizens murdered by
the Huns What was it, on April 2,
1917 that led the president to go be-
fore congress and deliver his historic
war message? Was it to make de-
mocracy safe throughout the world,
or to save democracy at home? Was
ii for the relief of oppressed human
ity, or was it in answer to the cry of
murdered Americans as they sank be-
meath the waves? Had America been
attacked? Was America Immediate
ly in DANGER" On that memorable
April day President Wilson went be-
fore the two houses of congress in
joint assembly and in language that
thrilled the nation stated the casus
helli in these words
American ships have been
sunk American lives have been
taken, in ways which it has STIR
red us very deeply to learn.
There is one choice we can not
, make, we are incapable of max
ing; we will not choose the path
| of submission and suffer the most
sacred rights of our nation and
our people to be violated.
| with a profound sense of the
solemn and even tragical charac-
ter of the step l am taking and of
the grave responsibilities which 1t
| involves, but in unhesitating
|
stitutional duty advise that the
congress declare the recent course
of the imperial German govern
| ment to be in fact nothing less
than war against the government
and people of the United tSates."
Nothing about making the world
safe for democracy" humanity" "in-
ternationalism" and other vagaries
with which the president has since re-
called the people. On the same day
that the president spoke congress
passed a resolution declaring that a
state of war exists between Germany
and the United States, which was APP
proved by the president on April 6.
Here is the cause of war as stated in
the declaration:
Whereas, the imperial German
government has committed re-
peated acts of war against the
government and the people Of the
United States Of America, there
fore be 1t
Resolved, by the senate and
house OF representatives of the