For a Better World

It's the Centennial of the day when the US Congress approved the entry of the United States into World War I, joining the Allies in the fight against the Central Powers, most notably Germany.

Back on Sunday, I read President Wilson's speech to Congress on April 2, 1917, in which he urged a declaration of war against Germany.  I couldn't help but notice the sense of gravity and reluctance in his speech.  He had campaigned for reelection in 1916 on the premise that he kept the United States out of the immense conflict that had overtaken Europe, tapping into reluctance by Americans to get involved in an overseas conflict.  It's clear that had that continued to be the case, the United States would not have gotten involved.  But President Wilson made the case that this conflict was starting to affect the United States and its people, owing to Germany's aggressive new policy on submarine warfare, and so called on Congress to declare war, based on Germany's actions being acts of war against the United States.

President Wilson then made a distinction between the rules of Germany and its people, stating clearly that there were to be no feelings of animosity towards the German people or Germans in the United States.  He also made clear that the United States would enter this conflict for no gain other than to secure stability in the world.  There's no doubt that these views were influence by his experiences growing up in the Confederacy during the Sectional War of the 1860's--something I can envision in a slightly bigger way because I was onboard the Cardinal train route back in January, and it stopped at Staunton, VA, the city where he was born.

And these sentiments were at the forefront of his mind in his 14 Points for Peace that he used as a guide going into the Versailles Peace Conference, as he sought to make a peace that would benefit all people, even though his desires were dashed by the nationalistic urges of the European leaders present, and then by the US Senate, which didn't ratify the Treaty of Versailles, barring US entry into the League of Nations, created to maintain stable world order.  But while the United States stepped back from the world stage after entering into it when joining the effort in World War I, the US would later return and remain after the repercussions of World War I spiraled into World War II.

It's times like these that define the kind of tough decisions that fall to our leaders.  Certainly engaging in war is not something we should seek after, but there are times when circumstances press us into it, although that is often a subject of debate to varying degrees.  Ultimately, it's up to them to work for maintaining stability and enhancing the state of humanity.

As we look back 100 years later, I feel it is important that we commit ourselves to the work of creating a world that seeks justice for all of humanity, that they have a good, secure standard of living in, with all their needs met, and that they live freely, without oppressive restrictions placed upon them.  And we pray that our hearts be filled with peace from God above, that we can use righteous means to let all people flourish.