William Clark Breckenridge Letter to William Porter - February 1, 1917

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St. Louis, [Missouri], February 1, 1917. Dr. William Porter, While-A-Way Lodge, Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Dear Friend:- I received recently a little Brochure with a notation on it to the effect that it was sent to me "by request of Dr. Porter". I enjoyed your article therein entitled "The Call of the Gulf Coast." I thank you for so kindly remembering me and am very sorry that I can not afford to join so kindly a circle as yours, and in so heavenly a land. All is peace and quietness down on the Coast with you-- and today Germany unleashes all her devils-she has forever lost-she knows it- and knowing it wants to drag down a whole civilized world and involve it in her ruin. I have looked toward this hour for more than a year-have seen it coming- and anticipate now that Germany dying as she is of hunger will violate the neutrality of every country and seize food and supplies regardless of treaties and obligations. Within one month I expect the whole civilized world to be engaged in this War. We too will be drawn into it where a little firmness on the part of President Wilson at the beginning of the War could and would have kept us inviolate. Instead he has played the Demagogue- has let himself be guided by Count von Barnstuff. & with the head of the Committee on Foreign Relations forms an incapable combination of spineless self-indulgents. There is now only one course left us to pursue with honor--at once sever all diplomatic relations with a nation "sans coeur, sans honneur". The German is the poorest loser in all history and now that he has lost no obligation he can give will bind him, therefore the time has come with us for drastic action. We must rise in self-defense. I have feared "Teddy" for a long time, but I am experiencing a change of heart-I am coming to look on him as the representative American--at least he stands for manhood and right. President Wilson by his contemptible indecision in the past has brought this crisis upon our Nation, and Germany esteems us all as weak as he. Well, I believe that the force of Public Opinion will put a little backbone into him and his cronies, but it is too late to avert trouble which the individual or nation can only do by facing it boldly at the start. I had hoped that our nation would not be drawn into this War - but my hope seems vain now-While an enthusiastic believer in peace, I am still willing to go the limit to get it- but never except with honor- like the Irishman I would fight like Hell to have Peace. St. Louis has within its boundaries many fine German friends of mine, but it also has some most traitorous citizens of German extraction-and these latter are fully posted in advance of every move Germany makes. I wish these latter could realize what they are doing before it is too late. You and I are but pawns on a chessboard in a game of life and death played by the politicians and demagogue who rule our land. We can only hope that God still reigns. Kindest regards to Mrs Porter and yourself. Sincerely Your Friend Clark