The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-05
OUR PURPOSE IN THE WAR.
Did America Really Fight TO Mako the
World Safe for Democrscyi

Word Safe for Domocrscyi
To THE EDITOR or THE SuN--S&r: Tho
great war Just ended broke out in July.
1914. and the United States did not en-
ter II until April. 1917. when II had been
raging for nearly three years. During
that period the Teutonic Powers had
violated every law OF God and man in
their determination to destroy France
and England. who were pouring out
their life blood with tho assassin's grip
on their throats. not to speak Of Bel
sium. PROSTATE and bleeding under tho
murdersr's heal.
liberty lay In their acts ought to have
been as apparent In the summer Of 1914
as It was in tho spring of'1pl7. when
We declared war against them: yet.
though Germany had bean numbering
American citizens on tho high seas for
more than two years. our Government
had used every effort to avoid an armed
conflict. until the Teutons. evidently be-
lisving there was no humiliation that
We would not endure rather than have
recourse to Arms, kicked us into the con-
nict. one may say.
or our policy between the sinking Of
the Lusitunia and the time when we
were practically ordered or the high
seas by the Boches havs no criticism
to make; tho essential thing to remem-
Der 10 the ultimate fact that We held
aloof from the conflict as long as we
poasibly could. and that when We did
enter II WAS because certain specific
rights Of the United States had boon
violated by Germany. What would
criticise however, IL the Org, tho can't
ing cry. that we went 20 war ITO make
the world safe for democracy" and the
absurd moral pose that We have been
taking IN tho utterance OF such a for
mula. because. apparently. wo would
have ourselves believe. and tho rest OF
the world a. well. that we were induced
to enter the struggle not by practical
consideration OF our own interests but
through devotion 60 the general rights
OF mankind az expressed In tho phrase
making the world safe for democracy"
What justification 10 there for such
humbug? We went TO war to help de-
feat tho Teutons and their allies. II
their defeat meant making the world
safe for democracy we'll and good. but
that was only an incident or Implication
OF our act. just a. when q private liti-
giant in an action at law vindioates his
own property rights he very properly
may be said to vindicate the rights Of
property generally
II In fact We had been actuated pri-
marily and not incidentally by tho mo-
tive Of making the world safe for de-
mocracy, by considerations not peculiar
to our own interests, would We have
endured the rape Of Belgium and the
murders OF She Lusitan,e, the hrst with
out word OF protest, the second merely
with verbal expostulation7 Would
Germany have continued to murder
American women and children for two
years with consequences no more seri-
Gus than q series Of homiiies intended
to make her realize tho immortality Of
her acts: would President Wilson. the
coiner Of the expression. have said late
In 1915 that with the sources and the
currents Of the European conflict We
had no concern. II we had conceived It
to Be our mission to make the world
safe for democracy
Again let me say that I do not assert
that we ought TO have gone to war one
day sooner than We did Of the policy
that kept US out Of the war from 1914
TO 1917 I have no criticism to make 4;
but I do maintain that II IL the sheer
ost humbu8. In view OF that policy, to
try TO mako It appear that our purpose
In going to war WAS other than the juNi-
liable one Of vindicating our violated
rights, that II was higher or holier than
that Of France. fighting for her life. or
OF England. who sacrificed her best and
nobleSt. who poured out her blood and
treaSure, to vind!cate the honor of her
name signed to "a scrap OF paper"
If this were nothing more than a pose
II would be rcprehensible enough, but
unfortunately II does not end there, for
It 10 being made the basis OF an assump-
tion In some quarters that our "dlsin-
terestedness'' in entering the war ought
to give our opinions paramount weight
at the peace table. an assumption likely
to lead to complexities that would other
wise be avoided. To this effect Is the
following from . Newspaper correspon-
| supposed TO reflect Executive opinion
in his dispatches:
Mr.. Wilson has made u plain that the
United States wants nothing for herself,
but 10 deeply anxious that tho thousa nd .
Of American soldiers who lie In the GENE.
teriss OF Franos shall not have spent thsir
lives merely TO enrich the ambitions Of
Individual StAtes bot truly 20 make the
world safs for democracy.
This ia intelllsibls only on tho rround
that We Joined the Allies for their sakes,
not our own. by ytrtue Of I. con.rac. 20
make the world safe for democracy and
to carry out which our soldiers Tie IN
Flanders zelda
AZ to the United States wanting moth.
ing for hersslf. II must Be- said that II
President Wilsons regard for the prin.
ciples OF democracy in practice EQUALS
hts professions OF devotion TO II he will
not iSnoru the sentiment of those whose
servant he processes himself 10 be, which
Is that Germany ought to be compelled
to pay US a substantial Indemnity. II
! u-cr- TIRE Constitution ne can .Sno-,
II. It can only DO said that that instr,,-
| mont will bear amending 10 make Amer
lea safe for democracy
ENROLLED DKMocRAr.
|