The New York herald., 1920-01-11
| Copyright, 1920. by the Ne1o York Herald
Compnpy-AH Rights Rcservcd.l

oWpdNY-AU Ri9htS RcSerCcd.J
~ \ April ., 19l7 President Wilson
& appeared before Congress and ad-
~ vised declaration of war against
Germany. Acting upon this advice
the Senate, on April 4th. and the House of
Representatives, on April 9Th, each by an
Overwhelming vote, passed resolution de-
claring that a state of war existed between
lc Imperial German Government and the
United States. President Wilson signed
the resolution on the same day and there
Upon Immediately issued Il proclamation
heraldns the news to the people.
For more than half century. barring
the short conflict with Spain. the United
~tates had been at peace. There seemed
no danger OF war. The United States was
so gigantic so powerful. so isolated, that
nothins threatened us. There could be no
" ar. The constant friction on the Mexican
order amounted only to annoyance. If at
last that should break out into hostIities
and the sor4'~~n republic should have the
,ffrontery to face the United states in
battle, everybody knew that the conflict
would be short and decisive and that in
three months the Stars and Stripes would
float over every rampant in Mexico from
the Rio Grande to Yucatan.
On the whole Western Hemisphere there
was no worthy foe for America; there
fore there could be no WARRIOR IL was
unthinkable that the United States would
plunge into a war in Europe; unthinkabe
that the Republic would form an alliance
with any nation of the world TO fight
against another nation. That would be
contrary to the traditions of America
contrary to the fundamental principles OF
our existence. contrary to the doctrine
Of every President from George Washing
ton to Woodrow Wilson. President Will
son in his speech of May Is, 1914, had
Just reiterated the doctrine so often pro-
nounced. "In our might and majesty, "
Tho President said. :" and in the confidence
and definiteness OF our purpose we need
not and we should not form alliances
with any nation in the world" And later
In the samo wear, December s, 1914, the
President assured us that the great Eu-
ropean cataclysm was conflict sNhose
causes cannot touch US" Therefore il
seemed certain that there was no danger
81 our being forced into the war. And
Mr.. Wilson ran for President on that
platform. He kept us out of war.
,rhat was his watchword in 1916. That
battle cry reelected him President of the
United States. Without IL he would have
gone down In utter defeat.
Difficult of Relief.
Therefore on April 6. 1917, when the dec
laration Of war came, the people scarcely
comprehended the gravity OF the situa.
ton. Nobody believed. even then. that
our boys would be sent TO the battlefields
of Europe II was to be a sort of mega
tive warfare; SO il seemed. Diplomatic
relations wero to be severed and moral
ana financial assistance was to be lent
10 tho Allies. but the people could not
realize that their sons were to be drafted
from the field and factory and sent to the
trenches in France.
Even i'm the Presidents address 20 Con-
press he did not specifically state that our
troops were TO be sent over seas. There
N.os no great degree OF excitement when
war was declared and European visitors
we're heard often to rvrnark that the Amer.
ican people did not realize that they were
q war
nut In six weeks from the day that wal
was declared President Wilson signed the
draft act. That law required every man
IN the United States, married and unmar.
lied citizen or alien. between the ages OF
tv.onty-one and thirty-one, TO register for
service in Che war. a penalty of one years
imprisonment was fixed for violation oi
this statute. The situat on began to grow
s.vlous. The stern haDj Jf discipline had
Drpeared and the people saw that the gov
crrment was in earnest. There was not
much attempt to evade che law. and on
,une g. 1917, more than nine million voune
,.er OF the nation walked TO the registra
Inn boards and recorded their names FOL
military service. out or these an army o'
$1,000 men was selected.
AZ this point the nation began 10 come
into contact with the realities of the war
Farmer boys left their ploughs in the field
mechanics dropped their tools al the bench
bookkeepers closed their ledgers and ac
counts. students walked out from the col
hge doors. young professional men CLOSED
their offices and in every phase Of lf,
the vooations OF peace were abandoned FOL
the duties OF war. The streets we're filled
with the trc d OF marching troops and
scenes OF parting we're witnessed on every
hand
Again on August a. 1918, the youths
who had reached twenty -onc since the last