UIHistories Project: A History of the University of Illinois by Kalev Leetaru
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Repository: UIHistories Project: War Publications - WWI Compilation 1923 - Article 13 [PAGE 9]

Caption: War Publications - WWI Compilation 1923 - Article 13
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producing a war that would enhance the aggrandizement of the aguressor. Hut it is established beyond cavil that for two generations, or more, German policy has been shaped to this end. Upon iJermanv, therefore, n »ts the moral responsibility for the iniquity, She cannot claim even an equal division of the guilt on the ground that the war is a clash of economic and cultural systems, for she molded her system to produce the war. The illustration, however, happily serves to teach a lesson oi a different kind. The Civil War i^as such a conflict of differing social organizations. The principles on which these two organizations respectively rested were so different that only one could survive. They could not exist side hv side. The conflict could not be settled by compromise or discussion. There could be no negotiated peace. President Lincoln was not deluded on this point, lie knew that "Rehellion not crushed would be rebellion triumphant." The same is true in the present crisis. The system of government for which militaristic, autocratic Germany stands cannot exist side by side with democracy-. One must be crushed if the other is to survive. Let us not deceive ourselves on this matter. If the Allies permit the survival of an autocracy powerful enough to begin another world war, it will destroy civilization. Never can the world be safe for democracy. Therefore, there can be no peace in this conflict by compromise or negotiation or discussion. One system of political and economic organization or the other must go down to complete defeat. We must so punish this autocracy and crush its spirit that at least for generations to come it will not rear its head again. But, say some kindly people, this is unchristian and wrong; we shall drive the German people to hate us, whereas we should try to win them over. While we may readily acknowledge the force and kindliness of this view, we shall make a mistake if we permit it to have any influence with us. Have the past four years not shown abundantly that the only condition under which Germany will not hate the world after this war is that she shall be successful? But her success is the very thing which must be prevented if the principle of autocracy is to be destroyed. We must face the fact that after this war Germany will hate the world and that her people will be an obstacle to every attempt at world progress, just as for years the bitterness between North and South stood in the way of that consolidation and harmony necessary to the perfect welding of our national unity. The generations "to come must contend with the

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