COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC INFORMATION 
 
 Speaking Division 
 
 Bulletin No. 2 
 
 ^muvmt 
 
 T-i 
 
 HINTS for SPEAKERS 
 
 The ISSUES of the WAR 
 AT A GLANCE 
 
 BASED UPON PUBLICATIONS OF 
 
 THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC INFORMATION 
 
 NOS. 1, 101, 102, 103, 104 
 
 "We dedicate our lives and our fortunes, everything that we are and 
 everything that we have, v<ith the pride of those who know that the day has 
 come when America is privileged to spend her blood and her might for 
 the principles that gave her birth and happiness and the peace which she 
 has treasured. God helping her, she can do no other." — President 
 Wilson. 
 
 WASHINGTON, D. C 
 
 January, 191 S
 
 
 THE WAR AT A GLANCE 
 
 BASED UPON PUBLICATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE ON 
 PUBLIC INFORMATION. 
 
 How the War Came to America. 
 
 The President's Address of January 22, 1917. 
 The President's War Message, April 2, 1917. 
 The Flag Day Address, June 14, 1917. 
 
 The War Message and the Facts Behind It. 
 
 The President's Message Annotated. 
 
 The Nation in Arms. 
 
 By Franldin K. Lane, Secretary of Interior, 
 and Newton D. Baker, Secretary of War. 
 
 The German Government. 
 
 By Charles D. Hazen. 
 
 The Great War: From Spectator to Participant. 
 
 By Andrew C. McLaughlin. 
 
 THE ORIGIN. 
 
 All the world is at war with Germany, 
 Since Germany makes war on all the world. 
 
 Germany defies all the world. 
 
 Germany would master the world. 
 
 Germany would sack the whole world. 
 
 Germany so declares. 
 Germany provoked war — 
 
 We held our peace. 
 
 36686°— 13 (3)
 
 Germany invaded Belgium — 
 
 We held our peace. 
 Germany dealt in frightf ulness — 
 
 We held our peace. 
 Germany exalted ruthlessness — 
 
 We held our peace. 
 Germany slew women and children — 
 
 We held om' peace. 
 Germany promoted massacre — 
 
 We held our peace. 
 Germany enslaved captives — 
 
 We held our peace. 
 Germany sunk the Lusitania — 
 
 We held our peace. 
 Germany set spies among us — 
 
 We held our peace. 
 Germany plotted within our gates — 
 
 We hold our peace. 
 Germany intrigued against us — 
 
 We held our peace. 
 Germany fomented strife among us — 
 
 We studied forbearance. 
 Germany destroyed our goods — 
 
 We swallowed our indignation. 
 Germany murdered our citizens — 
 
 We choked down our wrath. 
 Germany broke solemn promises — 
 
 We clung to shattered faith. 
 Germany — 
 
 At length loosed war on us and on all neutrals. 
 Then we saw 
 
 The only way out was to go through. 
 Beset by war — 
 
 The United States fights for world peace. 
 Our State is founded on tlie consent of the governed — 
 
 Germany makes war on that.
 
 5 
 
 Our Government is established on the people's wiU — 
 
 Germany makes war on that. 
 Our Civilization is seated in equal rights — 
 
 Germany makes war on that. 
 Our Life is shaped to the way of freedom — 
 
 Germany makes war on that. 
 "There is only one law in Germany and that is my will." — Kaiser 
 
 Wilhelm. 
 ''Henceforth nothing in America shall be done without me." — Kaiser 
 Wilhelm. 
 
 THE CAUSE AT STAKE. 
 
 This is the world war: other wars were waged — 
 
 By one prince upon another. 
 
 By one kingdom upon another. 
 
 By one coahtion upon another. 
 Now Germany setting itself against the world 
 Involves all mankind in the world war. 
 Germany beheves with all its strength — 
 
 In the survival of the fittest. 
 
 In the conflict of raw forces. 
 
 In warfare as the supreme test. 
 
 In Germany's power to prevail. 
 So Germany challenges aU the world. 
 If Germany is right — 
 
 Other Governments must fall. 
 
 Other civilizations must go under. 
 
 Other ideas must be cast aside. 
 It is Germany against the world. 
 If Germany is right — 
 
 The people exist for the State. 
 
 The subject lives by the king's sufferance. 
 
 The sword is supreme law. 
 
 I^Iight alone measures right. 
 It is Germany against self-government.
 
 6 
 
 If Germany is right — 
 
 Frightfulness is sound policy. 
 
 Mercy is sinful folly. 
 
 Clemency is silly sentiment. 
 
 Democracy is an idle dream. 
 It is Germany against equal rights. 
 If Germany is right — 
 
 The meek shaU serve the mihtant. 
 
 The strong shall trample on the weak. 
 
 The feeble can only perish. 
 It is Germany against humanity. 
 If Germany is right — 
 
 All that Germany Las done is good. 
 
 All we hold dear is wrong. 
 
 Om* hopes and faith and history of a hundred years are vain. 
 It is Germany against civilization. 
 
 THE ONRUSHING EVENT. 
 
 Other wars were local. 
 
 The Crimean, the Franco-Prussian, the Russo-Japanese^ — 
 we heard of them by post or wire, hardly more. This war 
 reached everywhere from its first stroke. 
 
 It interfered with aU trade, all commerce, aU industry, 
 aU finance, aU arts. 
 
 It upset all markets, all currencies, all production. 
 
 It broke all communications, hampered all exchanges, 
 shook all institutions. 
 
 It intruded on every Government, every people, every 
 living. 
 
 It clipped every dollar, shrunk every loaf, took from 
 eveiy day's wages. 
 
 In the nature of things this is a world war.
 
 059 272 3 
 
 Other wars were momentary. 
 
 Rivals fought over boundaries, thrones, mistresses, quar- 
 rels, booties. This war goes to fundamental things. 
 
 Two systems of civilization contend for place in the 
 world now so close knit that they can not both survive. 
 In ordinary competition one or the other would supersede. 
 Now war determines which shall prevail. 
 
 From this war comes universal compulsion or imiversal 
 cooperation. 
 
 Election by catastrophe. 
 
 In the natui-e of things the free world which Germany 
 defies ranges itself on freedom's side — England, France, the 
 new Russia, Canada, Australia, the United States, Argentina — 
 aU the company of free peoples. 
 
 Carrying on the fight the fathers made for independence, 
 for liberty, for free institutions, America is summoned to 
 defend not only its possessions, its Government, and its 
 people, but its very soul. We mamtain not mere existence 
 but the fabric of our world. 
 
 We aflBrm the faith America first proclaimed. 
 
 In the womb of destiny. 
 
 After the war there will rise a new world. On us — ^under 
 God — it rests whether it be wrought of freedom or of servi- 
 tude — ui the German order or of America's spirit; a hard 
 world dominated by the iron law or a fair world, increasing 
 in happiness under the mild sway of the golden rule= 
 
 We stake all on freedom.
 
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