The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1921-06-03

of all time. Far seeing men believed
from the time the first gun was fired
In August, 1914, that America would
be forced to enter the conflict in or
der to safeguard her principles of
human freedom and the right of her
citizens to order their own lives. ..g
Thousands of Americans believed
when Belgium was ruthlessly invaded
and trampled upon that this nation
owed an obligation to. humanity, to
all OF mankind and to the principles
upon which the great fabris of inter
national law had been builded. to en-
ter the conflict without delay. The
Herald shared this belief. But the
overwhelming majority of Americans,
at that time regarded the war as con-
fiiet between the rival powers and dy.
nasties OF Europe and there was alb
solutely no general sentiment for our
going to war.
After the Lusitania was sent to the
bottom of the sea with her precious
American freight all doubt as to the
purpose of Germany to terrorize the
world and defy every canon Of inter
national law was removed and 1t be-
came apparent to all thinking men
that America would either have to
fight or surrender principles more pre-
cious than life itself to the Hun,
But at that time the people of the ma
ton were enjoying the prosperity re.
sulting from the European war; they
still chung to the old idea Of freedom
from the affairs of Europe and had
President Wilson SO desired he could
! not have led the people Of America
into war. The President was CRITICS
ed very severely and The Herald was
not free from criticism of his course,
because of his long delay and his con-
slant negotiations with the German
government, but history will justify
his course. He led the people of Amer
lea into the struggle just as soon as
they were ready to follow him. And
when this nation did enter the con-
fict it entered it more thoroughly
united than any people who fought in
that war except those of France and
Belgium. America had no Irish or
Egyptian problems to deal with nor
the internal troubles that marked the
history of Italy
Blu. America would never have en-
tered the world war had it not been
for the direct assaults that Germany
Cmade upon the rights and privileges
of her own citizens. In the last anal
ysis America fought with the allies
because she realized that. if she did
not fight with the allies and Germany
won the war she would fight it alone.
However, this statement does not de-
tract from the unselfish motives that
prompted America to enter the con-
| hict. She was the one nation that
sought no indemnities, asked for no
Preparations, and fought not for con-
quest or additional territory, but mere
ly that "the principles which gave the
nation birth" might be indicated.
America fought in self defense, but
she also fought solely for principle.
She poured out her blood and spent
her billions not only that her own peo-
pie might continue to enjoy the price
less blessings Of human liberty, but
that all the people of the earth might
do the same. In that great conflict
America asked nothing that she was
not willing to share with all the other
peoples of the earth. No nobler, or
more unselfish motives ever actuated
people than inspired America to her
heroic task in 1917 and 1918. 1t is the
brightest chapter ever written in the
annals Of mankind.
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