El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-09-02
German Neutrality.
Providence journal,

Providence journal,
Many professions of German friend
ship for the United States have been
made in answer to the charges of I'M
friendliness, but it would be strange if
they had deceived the American peO-
Pile. An interesting letter in the New
York Sun shows once more just how
much these professions are worth. The
letter was written from Cavite on July
II, before the third expedition with
troops had arrived or Admiral Dewey's
fleet had been reinforced by the Mon
adnock and Monterey. It gives vivid
picture of the serious difficulties with
which the admiral had to contend. His
victory on the first of May was SO
the gravity of his position since. The
"little fight" in his own words, was
the least of his tasks. After that he
b ad to hold what he had won in the
face of a superior Spanish military
force. of q large body of insurgents
whose good faith was doubtful, and of
a German fleet which carried its inter-
ference to the very verge of war. On
this last point there can be no doubt
the writer in the Sun, THAT the Ger
mans have been making the admiral
all the trouble they can. They have
been going just as far as it was safe to go
in annoying him and several times they
have made him talk of war. He has
not hesitated to use plain language
when the occasion required it. But
two or three times when he has talked
that way he would have felt great
deal better if he had had an armOrclad
or two and some big guns to back him
up
The strength of the German fleet has
been in itself menace: all the expla-
nations in the world about protecting
German interests do net alter that fact
But, more than this, the German Off
GERS have seemed to take delight in
violating proprieties and disreg arded
regulations. Admiral Dewey after he
had established the blockade of Manila,
ordered that there should be no move
at night without his permission. The
Germans paid no attention to the order,
but sent launches out after shutdown,
which were stopped and turned back
by the American patrol boats. Ad-
miral Won Diedrichs protested. Ad-
miral Dewey replied that his regula-
tions must be observed. The
Germans kept up their work,
and the American searchlights
Again Admiral Won Diedrichs protested
and again Admiral Dewey replied tina t
he must know what was going on at
night, adding that the Germans were
acting as if they, and not the Amer
leans, were blockadinR Manila, Then
followed various incidents which, on
the most favorable Interpretation,
showed German bad manners. The
Subig Bay incident brought matters to
a climax, and Admiral Dewey sent Ad-
miral Won Diedrichs a message ask
A~Ar
Germany and the United States. ''If
there is war" he ssid,'I want to know
it. If there is peace 1 want you to
change your course" This brought out
an apology from the German Admiral,
who had In the meantime consulted
Captain Chichester of the British
cruiser Immortalite and had learned
something to his advantage concerning
the attitude of Great Britain.
There is no reason to doubt the truth
of the story told in the Sun. It ia
story of which we have had hints be-
fore. Read as a whole it plsill y shows
a feeling of enmity towards the United
States on fthe part of Germany which
has stopped short only of actual hosti-
lities. To Admiral Dewey's frmness
and courage we owe it that the Ger
man plars for Interference were un-
successful. OF course, Admiral Won
Diedrichs was rot acting without in
structions. Even German naval officers,
bad as their manners are, do not take
the risk of involving their country in
war on their own shoulders. That our
withdrawal from the Philippines, or
our restoration of any portion of them
to Spain, would be followed by success
full German conquest is sufficiently
obvious. Do we intend to reward Ger
many in this way for the conduct of
Admiral Won Diedrichs at Manila bay?