The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-02-08

I'm confused" would you know
what was the matter with them?
Well, it would be the same thing
that would be the matter with you
If you were to run around some
big tree, fifteen times in the same
direction. When you stopped, ev-
erything about you would seem to
be moving in the queerest kind of
way, and you wouldn't know wheth-
or it was the worlds fault or yours.
In other words, you would be CON
fused"
That's the way we Americans
felt at the beginning of this war.
We didn't clearly understand the
reasons why any Of the countries
wanted to fight, and so, Of course,
we couldn't tell whose reasons
were best. We were quite dis
lance from that European battle
ground and the war could remain a
"far-away" question to us, and so
that's the way 1t stayed,-"far-
away from our land and "far-
away" from our thoughts for three
long years. OF course we read of
that first battle of the Marine, of
the long fighting around Verdun,
and we were sad about all the ter
rible things that were happening
and sometimes we felt afraid that
perhaps we might-but we put the
thought away from us just as long
as we could. ~
A month after war was declared,
in August, 1914, President Wilson
issued a message asking all citizens
of the United States to remain neu-
tral-that is, to treat with the same
friendly spirit, all countries that
were in the war. For long time
we went on this way, neutral either
because we intended to be that
way, or because we were more or
less Indifferent to quarrels that
were not our own.
Then things that were happening
began to awaken us and change
our minds. One of the greatest of
these things was the invasion of
neutral Belgium and all the hor-
rible things the German army al
lowed itself to do to that brave lit
tie country. We admired the
plucky resistance that those people
showed.
After this, things that were max
ing us less and less friendly to the
Germans, began to pile up thick
and fast. The executions of Edith
Cavell and Captain Fryatt, on poor
ly founded causes aroused people
all over our country-then came
the sinking of the Lusitania, and
the intentional drowning on the
part of the U-boats of free Ameri-
can citizens. Still trusting coun-
try, whose leaders were absolutely
unworthy of trust, our President
wrote many times to the German
government to try to get that gov
eminent to agree to fight according
to the principles of fighting agreed
to by the nations at The Hague
conference.
The only decisive reply we re-
ceived to these notes, was the sink
ing of more of our ships, the Fala-
ba, the Gushing. the Gulflight, the
Arabic and the Sussex.
Meanwhile all kinds Of plots
against the United States were be-
ing discovered.
Hundreds of Germans were being
discovered all over the United
States, who we're planning all sorts
of plots against our country and
in favor of Germany. These peo-
pie left Germany because Of the
required military training and lack
of opportunity and came to our
country where there was freedom
and big chances for advancement,
then they turned their backs on the
United States and plotted against
her development and the happiness
Of her people.
People who can do such things as
these have souls like Aaron Burr,
the souls of traitors.
There are lots Of little" souls
like this all over everywhere. AS
they give up more and moro to
their mean little selves they be-
come traitors, murderers and rob
bers.
So we tried and tried very hard