With the entrance of the United States into the Great War, we Americans laid aside forever our spiritual isolation. We accepted our share of responsibility for the assaulted civilization of the world, and our share of danger at the hands of its great assailant. A free people, we willingly chose the path of uttermost pain, and we chose it for the sake of our nation's honor, our nation's ultimate safety, and the salvation of our nation's soul.
When Germany denied us the waterways of the world, she struck hard at our commerce, at our just rights, and at our decent pride. What were the Hohenzollerns to us that we should have taken our orders from the Kaiser, tied up our ships in harbor at his behest, and, cowering by our own firesides, have waited for his permission to carry our flag across the sea? Was it for this that our forefathers had bought our freedom with their lives? Had we revolted when we were colonists, weak, poor, and without resources, from the tyranny of Great Britain (a stupid but never a brutal tyranny), only to bow the strength of our manhood before Germany's shameful threats? Had we preached the sacredness of human rights for over a hundred years, only to acquiesce in Germany's campaign of murder; and, by consenting to her crimes, become a partner of her guilt? We had suffered cruel injury at her hands. Were we also to lose our souls through ignoble submission to wrong-doing?
Our answer was given when President Wilson asked Congress to declare a state of war. We had then, and we have now, no choice but to fight for our liberty, or to lose it. Our ships had been sunk, our seamen drowned. Treacherous officials had plotted to embroil us with friendly nations. Treacherous hands had fired our factories and murdered our citizens. The careless lie or the insolent taunt which were Germany's alternate answers to our remonstrances, and which she seemed to think would keep us quiet until she had leisure to turn her arms upon us, are silenced now. We are upholding the safety and decency of the world, which has been as deeply degraded by vandalism as when Attila swept his hordes across the ravaged face of Europe. Our young soldiers are changing guard with the war-worn veterans of France and Great Britain. Valiant and gay, they face the oppressor. "He that loveth his life shall lose it"; and these men stand ready to lay down their lives for all they hold sacred and dear. Faithful to their country, faithful to their allies, faithful to the freedom in which they were reared, they strike their blow in the great name of America, and for the peace of God.
AGNES REPPLIER.
