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Show Twenty TJiree Years Ago Today On April G, 1917, congress declared that the United States was at war against Germany. Our people had seen the outbreak of the World war with firm determination not to have any part of it. "What have we to do with Europe?" was a common phrase. When the powers of Europe began talking war, the majority of Americans paid very little attention. The original act that led to i the war, the assassination of the heir to tho Austro-Hungarian I throne and his wife, was scarcely noticed by the majority of Ameri-' Ameri-' cans. It seemed to terribly remote. They found before long that tha' remote event was going to affect their live more than almost any public event that had ever happened iu their lifetime. In spite of this aloofness, the war soon came close home to them. They were deeply stirred by such things as the invasion of Belgium. German submarines attacked and sunk American ships i -and ships which had Americans on board. The people rose in wrath ' and declared war, iu spite of all their inhibitions against partcipa-tion partcipa-tion in the messes of Europe. Will history repeat itself? Will the American people, who are now so reluctpnt to interfere in the conflicts of Europe, again be drawn into the chasm of blood by intolerable attacks on their rights? There are two reasons why apparently they will not be, though i one cau't be sure of any future in such a warring world. One is that the American people feci thoroughly disgusted with the results of the World war. They made great sacrifices and feel they accomplished accompli-shed little or nothing. The second reason is that tho German gov-vernment, gov-vernment, profiting by the lessons of the past, seems rather careful about exciting American wrath. It should continue to show such care. |