However long the war may be, it is one that must be fought to the end. For, as a river purifies itself as it flows, so has the issue of the war defined itself as it has progressed. In its beginning Germany strove to make the world believe that it was a trade war between Austria and Serbia which Russia had entered for the injury of Austria and which had been forced on Germany in Austria’s defense. Then she claimed that she fought England “for the freedom of the seas.” The war against Belgium was “a military necessity,” the submarine warfare against neutral nations “a retaliatory measure against blockade.” But in the long run Germany’s war is the war of the military caste of the world against the free peoples, the war of government holding power by force against government holding power by popular vote, the war of military establishment against peaceful ideals; and until it is won by those who fight Germany there can be no lasting peace in the world. CHAPTER IV HOW THE WAR CAME TO THE UNITED STATES The great war, beginning in 1914, brought to most Americans no idea that our country would ever be more than a watcher of it. That we ourselves would one day become part of it--and one of the greatest parts of it--was something beyond the imagination of most men. America had lived apart from other nations. For, although our government had made treaties with foreign nations, and become part of The Hague Conference, and been drawn to some extent into international politics, we had none of the ambitions which draw nations into ordinary wars. We had no desire for colonies, we had no jealousy of other nations, we had no fear of neighboring governments. In fact, Americans believed that wars were going out of fashion, and that western Europe, any more than ourselves, was not likely to go to war. The coming of the conflict was therefore a shock to us, but not one that brought us to realize that we were likely to take part in it. When Germany invaded Belgium with no excuse other than that progress through that nation afforded the quickest way to France the people of the United States awoke to their first knowledge of what militarism may mean. Although people of German birth or parentage in America were inclined to accept Germany’s attempted justification of military necessity, the sympathies of most Americans went to Belgium and became one of the important factors in determining the country’s attitude toward the war. For the United States had always stood for principles of justice and humanitarianism. The stories of how Germany treated the civilian population of Belgium, stories which were verified by the later reports of such non-partisan investigators as Brand Whitlock, American minister to Belgium, aroused American sentiment against German military methods. [Illustration: _Copyright Newspaper Illustrations, Ltd._ Belgium refugees between Malines and Brussels