AMERICA AND THE WAR.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 19 October 1914, Page 4

AMERICA AND THE WAR.

What appears to be a trustworthy indication of the prevailing opinions and wishes in America with regard to the war, is given in a letter addressed to The Spectator by Mr W. H. Babcock, of Washington. "Probably (says Mr Babcock) our present attitude may be explained in some degree of kinship and by interest, but it is far more attributable to an abhorrence of despotic military methods, which are represented to the ordinary mind by the figure of the War Lord—whether or not with perfect justice to him as an individual is of little moment. The point is that the German soldier has undertaken to 1 stamp inoffensive "neutral.Belgium into •a good road for his travel toward. France, that he Tias shot as criminals, unfortunate people who resisted robbery and arson at his hands, and that \ in every way his mailed hand dashes aside all promises, all scruple, everything which belongs to conscience, compassion, fair play, or human kindliness. It seems to be just a materialisation on the great scale of the monstrous Overman, •conceptions of recent German^ philosophy. The origin of the outbreak is equally abhorrent. Servia was attacked by Austria avowedly lest she should stir dissatisfaction among the people of her own race, held down by Austrian military oppression—simply another manifestation of the German soldier. 'That particular branch of the Teuton stock has indeed been the very greatest offender in such regards. What Austria has done of late toth.e people of Herzegovina she formerly did to those of Venice, and before that to those of Lombardy. and long before that to those of Switzerland. She has bullied in each instance until forced to let go her hold. On this last occasion she determined to extend the area of her despotic control; Germany could probably have prevented it; could certainly have refused to sustain an iniquitous aggression; but, on the contrary, -chose to second "and champion th© offender, and so brough£ all Europe into;the-bath of blood. To aii outside observer it seems a- conflict of the liberal opening future against a ; mediaeval absobi^sru whic/HC

the world cannot abide. • also essentially a struggle for the individual rights of peoples as opposed to mere soulless and heartless power. Its awful losses may be compensated if it makes Servia one and independent, gives back Schleswig to Denmark, and welds Alsace and Lorraine to France again; and if the menace of the two great central Empires be removed by such restrictions as this bloodthirsty frenzy makes necessary."