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Show American Legion Notes (Contributed by the Milford J'o-t) ' CAI'SK OF ''.; H'Alt Nineteen years ago on June 2S a man and his wile met death at the hands of an assassin. The above statement is not so startling as sudi happenings are common today and I scarcely noticed in our hurried scan of the newspupoi . However, thoe murders were 10 ultimately result in the death of millions mil-lions of men and destruction of a gieat proportion of the worlds wealth. "The hitter rivalries ami hatreds of the nations, running back for genera-J.ions, genera-J.ions, their efforts to score advantages advan-tages over each other at every po .-sible .-sible point and in every field, their malevolent and suspicious ami intriguing in-triguing diplomacies, their frenxie 1 competition for colonies and markets, ami raw materials ami armies and navies, in short their soaring and conflicting ambitions" had placed Europe, in llll t, in a mental state comparable to its physical preparen-ness preparen-ness and a perfect opportunity was present to permit Austria to achieve her long hoped for end in regard to Serbia. It is now known that Austria informed her ally Italy on August !). l!IKi, that she proposed to take ag-i gressive action against Serbia. I However, under the scheme of al-j liances existing in Europe one nation j might with the consent of allies tit -' clare war on another nation only when attacked. Italy refused to; recognize that any attack hail been-made been-made by Serbia, so no attack was made by Austria. Austria then found in Germany a congenial fellow as: Germany had long looked on the weak Balkans as an opportunity she had been neglecting. Secietely en-i coujaeing Austria, Germany expec- tantly watched. j For fear we make martyrs of England, France and Russia we must note that a period of colonial aggression aggres-sion and national imperialism had been more successful with them than; ihose of Germany and Austria and j they were temporarily contented with i their national plunder. Such was the political, social and economic status when Austria sent that famous ultimatum to Serbia on July 2.'1, 191-1. Xo nation could issue such demands to another nation with possible hopes of having them ful-j filled. Failure to comply caused; Austria to mobiliz.e. England pro-1 posed a submissioofth nfohrSile .... I posed a submission of the question to a conference of great powers, j namely: Germany, France, Italy ami England. Germany refused, stating i that the affair concerned only Austria Aus-tria and Serbia. Several other attempts at a diplomatic diplo-matic settlement were suggested butj in all cases met with terse objections from the Kaiser. The attack of Belgrade by Austria caused Russia to rush to the rescue of her ally. Germany pronouncing Russian mobilization a menace to herself demanded that such mobilization mobiliza-tion cease within twelve hours. The demands were not responded to so a state of war declared to exist by Germany. To permit the emperor to constftutionally declare war it was necessary to have invasion by the enemy. Charging next that French airplanes attacked Nuremberg, the Kaiser declared France an aggressor and on August 3 declared war on France. The violation of international agreement regarding Belgium, Lu-rumburg Lu-rumburg and Switzerland justified England in declaring in with the Allies. 1 A condition involving the great power of the world could not but affect af-fect other powers. Through three years our emotions were stirred. Who in the United States does not have close connections through friends or relatives with one or more of the great powers of Europe. Rumors and fears haunted us. Tremendous Tre-mendous industrial growth developed. Commerce expanded beyond our dreams. Vast sums were spent by both sides to enlist our sympathy and aid. It is impossible in this limited space to give the complete story of the many events that transpired between be-tween July 23, 1913, and April 6, 1917, when we found ourselves by action of our president and congress in a state of war with Germany. This action by the United States caused several other nations to throw in her efforts on the side of the Allies. Thus with so little provocation the world found itself in the clutches of the greatest war of all times. From our vantage point today we realize that one event does not cause war; also that rivalry and hatred are the results of time's accumulation. The American Legion so stands to "make right the master of might; to promote peace and good will cn earth." By numerical force we may be felt." Join the Legion and aid in budding a better world's program. Milford Post Committee. I |