The citizen., 1919-01-09
THE TRAGEDY OF THE
TWENTIETH CENTURY
III. Americas Providential
Entrance into the War

| ~ ""S h'S'oo"y sh"t ioot WNNh .
article should contain the things
said in comparison OF our sacrifices
and those OF some European coun-
tries. In some French communities,
almost every woman wears the
black garb Of mourning. Scarcely
a vigorous young man is left at
home; and this has been the case
for the last three or four years. A
'klarge part Of the hardest outdoor
labor is done by women and girls.
This grim determination on the par.
of all classes OF the French people
TO win the war, in spite of bitter
privations, will be the admiration
of future generations. But it would
be great mistake to belittle the
contribution which we have made
TO the final result.
IL may be questioned whether II
is proper TO insert the word "prOvi-
dental" in the subject of this
article. IL is not always easy to
determine, at the time Of an event
or in the future, whether or not il
is providential. Probably an afllrma-
tive answer generally will be given
whenever an occurrence takes
place contrary to what the mass Of
people would pronounce either wise
or probable, and yet IL afterward
clearly appears to be for the best.
Subjected TO this test, our entrance
into this European contest can be
made TO appear providential, both in
point of fact and as TO the time Of
our beginning.
First as 10 the fact Of our ever
taking sides against Germany and
her allies. In what was called the
Franco-Prussian War, OF 1870, the
mass Of our people favored the Ger
man side, and looked with compla-
cency upon the surrender of Ba-
zaine's French army at Metz, the
crushing defeat Of Mcmahon at Sc
dan, the capture Of the French
ruler, the triumphal entry of the
German forces into Paris, and the
imposition OF burdensOme indem-
nifty upon the French people. Dur
ing the intervening years we have
had widespread and seemingly
growing tendency 10 regard the
Germans with favor. At the out
break Of the war the most that any
friend Of France and her allies could
expect was that we should remain
neutral. II is scarcely fair TO crit
icise an American citizen for any
pro-German utterance Of his, during
the first year Of the war Had he
not as much reason to favor one side
as the other? The tendency TO look
with favor upon the German side
was largely increased by the fact
that so large part Of our popula-
tion is Of German birth or descent.
It required the German violation of
international law and solemn treat
les, together with many inhuman
atrocities, to turn the tide decisive
ly in the other direction. So late as
the second year OF the war there
was a strong sentiment in favor o!
prohibiting the shipment from this
country Of munitions of war. II
was not claimed that law or custom
forbade the sale Of any merchant
able product TO whomsoever was
ready 10 buy. But for a time il
seemed highly probable that our
government would be forced to put
an embargo upon the shipment OF
arms and munitions, by the Oft
repeated cry that Great Britain's
control of the sea had shut out the
Central powers from obtaining their
share OF such expectations. But
finally most OF our people have
come To believe that the plans OF
the German Kaiser and ruling classes
were so ambitious that self-preser-
walton called upon us TO aid in
thwarting them. To dwell upon
Germany's reasonable expectation
that by quick and Inscriptions ac-
tion all opponents would be defeated
peaoemeal, and substantial world
dominion secured, would be TO re-
peat truth of which our people
are fully convinced. Thus the fact
OF our coming TO the rescue at some
time being providential meets the
two conditions Of being utterly
foreign TO our original thought as to
what would be just and eXpedient
and of now being recognized as a
necessity. Our entrance was neces-
sary and blessing to the world.
Continued next week.