Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 259, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 November 1917 — IF GERMANY WON [ARTICLE]

IF GERMANY WON

Do you realize what would happen to us in America if Germany defeated Great Britain and France? You think of us separated from her by 3,000 miles of water, but the oceans, in these days of electricity and airships and submarines, are barriers no more effective than mountain brooks. You recall the German “U” boat which suddenly appeared last year at our very door to sink several cargo and passenger steamers off our New England coast. Within six months after a victory of Germany in Europe, German, (warships and German troopships would be on their way to our ports to levy the great tribute upon this rich country which is part and parcel of the German war plan. That’s what the triumph of the kaiser would mean to America and to you—billions of dollars of tribute of which you would have to pay your share through excessive taxation. It is on the pan-Germanic program. Officers, merchants, educators said as much to me in Germany, Belgium, Poland, during my year behind the German lines on relief work. And you have probably read the corroborative evidence of their purposes in the kaiser’s threat to Ambassador Gerard, “America had better look out after this war!” In Brazil, Chili, Venezuela, prominent German merchants whom I met in the course of my travels frankly confided to me the intention of Germany “one day” to make an “overseas Germany” of South America. And an elephant catcher from Hamburg told me years ago in the jungles of Lower Siam that “the day was coming” when Germans would not need to ask “Permits of England or France or Siam”-for a free hunting land in - Siam or Malay- As a German officer at their great headquarters in northern France said to me once at the close of a discussion as to where the war was leading the principal belligerents—Great Britain, France, Germany—“ World power or complete defeat; Germany wants no halfway result!”

A German victory would at once put in jeopardy all the principles for which we ever -fought—freedom on land in 1776, liberty at sea in 1812, the right of frontier-lines in 1847, the reaffirmation of the freedom of the white man through giving freedom to the negro in 1861; and the rights of little nations in 1898. A fortnight ago a German victory seemed the wildest improbability. Since then the situation has changed. The German armies are pouring into northern Italy. Italy may not be able to stop them.. Germany may force her to make peace. With Russia and Italy both out of the war, Geimany and Austria would be able to sendpractically sIL their l? rce against the allies on thewestern

front. ; , , The chances are that England, France and Belgium alone could not hold them. The United States must leap to their side. The American people must leap to their side. Not American soldiers only, nor American ships only, not American guns only, but American men, women and children from Maine to Texas, from Texas to Oregon, must in one way or another consider themselves fighters at the side of America’s allies on the battle front. If they cannot hold a gun, they must support those who do. They must save food and save money. They must talk war. They must think war. If t they don’t, Germany will win. And then_ CASPER WHITNEY.