AMERICA'S EFFORT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 94, 14 January 1918, Page 6

AMERICA'S EFFORT

LECTURE BY PROFESSOR TRUE BLOOD.

An address on "America, and the War" was delivered by Professor Thomas 0. Trneblood, of Michigan University, in the Y.M.C.A. yesterday afternoon. Mr. Trueblood is_ Professor of Oratory in his university, and in the treatment of his' subject he showed a masterly grasp of the facts of the situation and remarkable skill in the presentment of his subject. The coming of America into the war has been much written about and talked about, both in America and in tho countries of the other belligerents, so that the subject matter of the address was not unfamiliar, but Projpssor'L'rueblood's address presented everything m such perfect logical order, and in such accurate perspective, that in effect it was to most of his hearers new matter.

Mr. E. C. Brownell, general secretary of the Y.-iI.C.A. in New Zealand, presided. • Professor Trueblood spoke first of all on a topic that was of more interest to us rather more tha'n a year ago than it is to-day—the slowness of America in getting into the war. In examining the reasons for America's desire to remain out of the conflict, he mentioned the Monroe Doctrine, by which America has always considered that she ought to remain out of Euroj pean affairs and to keep European nations from interfering with any part •of the American continent. This, and ' the preference of the leaders of the ' country for the settlement of disputes i bv arbitration sufficed to keep America j out until it in the end became imposi sible for a people with the ideaja and i aspirations of the Americans to remain ,at peace with Germany. America nnd, ■no thought of war. Her long frontier ! line with Canada was not guarded by 'a. single fort or soldier. One of the ; principles in which America believed '.was freedom of the seas, and it was i primarily in defence of that principle • that America had come into the war. ' She had come in because of Germany's | persistent disregard of every international rule in tho use of submarines. Other reasons for action by America, ; were the rape of Belgium and the overrunning of Serbia and Montenegro oy I the Huns. But the people of the "United i States were especially concerned with i the intrigue of the Germans with 1 Mexico, by which the Germans promised Mexico four States of the Union as the price of waging war against America. . . He was' definitely of opinion tluu the whole scheme was planned in 189.,, when the German dream of worlctdominion first began to obsess the Kaiser and his satellites. • The dream of the Kaiser was to outrival the exploits of the great conquerors of Jie world in past ages, and William or brermany cherished the hope and belief that* he could succeed where Alexander the Great, Napoleon, and the others had failed. To this end war had-be-come in Germany a national industry. The presence of so many persons ot German birth or descent in the United .States was a strong deterrent acainst the President declaring for ivar without a great deal of caution, even unwillingness If America had declared at once for war with Germany, it might have been that there would have been civil war and an attempt at a revolution. The Gorman Americans and other Americans had to be educated by experience to learn what the true meaning was of Germany's disturbance ot the peace of the world. Having"mado up her mind to conic in, America had ever since been busy. Half a million men had been carried to France already without the loss of a single soldier. The first act of the Legislature was to pass the conscription law. They had recognised at tha outset the stern struggle that was before the nation, but they were prepared to make every sacrifice for the great aim of keeping the world for democracy and for the freeing of the world from military domination. One of the things' in which courageous steps had been taken was in the conservation of the food supplies, for which Dr. Hoover had been made responsible, It was Dr. Hoover who pointed out that the brewers were using enough grain in the year to feed three million soldiers. As soon as this fact was grasped ; t was decreed that there would be no roie grain for breweries. Already in America there were meatless days and wheatless days. To ensure maximum efficiency in transport services the Government had taken over tho railways as a war measure. President Wilson was surrounding himsejf with the ablest men in the country, and the utmost was being done to bring to bear the strength of the nation as soon as possible. One of their greatest efforts was in the of 100,000 aeroplanes. It was considered that presently it might not be possible io take the 'planes across the Atlantic by steamer fast enough to keep pace with the rate of construction, and that they would have to flv across. He believed that they would all, be flying across before very long. AH this America was doing in the hope of winning pence for the world, and she asked in return nolhing for her own sacrifice! A vote of thanks was accorded to the lecturer on the motion of Mr. 0. M. Luke, president of the Y.M.C.A. This evening in the Y.M.C.A. Assembly Hall Professor Trueblood is to give a recital from the writings ot Mark Twain, the greatest American humorist.