d be destroyed. In the opinion of Americans, a Government
which did any one of these things would not be fit to exist in a
civilised world. A Government which has done all of them and much more
that is equally barbarous and brutal, must, in the opinion of the
American people, be utterly destroyed.

Americans hoped for many long years that the German people would
themselves throw off the incubus of the military Government which was
crushing out their individuality and making their country an object of
distrust and fear to all those interested in the progress of
civilisation; but if you will not rid yourselves of the monster which
has dishonoured and disgraced you before the world, then, in American
opinion, the safety of the world and the future of Germany require that
the present German Government shall be destroyed through military
defeat. For this reason the American people are praying earnestly for
Allied victory. While there is a sincere effort to maintain the
technical neutrality enjoined by the President, there is no neutrality
possible on the moral issues involved. Americans may not violate the
neutrality of the nation by giving concerted military support to the
Allies; but they are practically unanimous in giving their whole moral
support to the nations engaged in the necessary task of destroying the
monstrosity of Prussian militarism. Every aid which they can render the
Allies without violating national neutrality is being given, not because
they do not admire the German people, but because the destruction of the
present German Government is regarded as the essential first step in
enabling the German people to return to the place of honour they once
held in the world. Americans would regard ultimate German victory as an
intolerable disaster to civilisation; and they will never be satisfied
until the German armies are decisively defeated. They believe that the
ultimate defeat of Germany is assured, and that the least suffering will
result to the German people if they will themselves repudiate the
Government which brought upon them their present sufferings, and will
start anew with a modern Government responsible to the will of the
people.

Sincerely yours,

DOUGLAS W. JOHNSON.

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PLAIN WORDS FROM AMERICA***

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