The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-19
WAR ECHOES


 means that our American gold is to be 1 fed into cannon, then it should be dis | couraged and if possible prevented. Since European governments have seen fit to throw their wealth into universal bon
 fire let us keep our own out of the flames. That will best serve our own right of self-preservation.
 On the other hand If great loans to France or any of the belligerents mean merely the establishment on this side of great credits against which they may buy our goods, they are to be considered in a very different light a
 The ends of the United States are peace and trade, the shortening of the war, the restoration of normal processes of human | intercourse. We believe not only the gov l ernment but the great powers in finance and business will cooperate periodically | to those ends
 Baltimore Sun: An unusual and signifi- cant activity" in the fashioning of new 1 devices for naval war, which may surprise | H. G. Wells and would stagger Jules l Verne, could he return to life, is disclosed on almost every page of the Naval An nual for 1914, just published.
 l Of all the new weapons described. none is more devilish than the Leon torpedo mine. which is being manufactured by a British firm The engine is so constructed | that 1t can be set to hover between any depths below the surface that may be desired. When placed in the water 1t has a slight negative buoyancy and sinks until l automatically a propeller is brought into .. 1 It can be used in the open sea by any type of ship. or, in the case of tidal har- bors, it could be released by vessel out | side so as to make it's way with the tide | into the anchorage and perhaps destroy | shipping there. A touch on the deadly steel "whiskers'' which project from it's upper surface and the enemy would be sent to the bottom as were the Hatsuse and the Petropavlosk in the Russo-Japa- nese war.
 Cleveland Plain Dealer: Scarcely more than week after her declaration of war, Great Britain definitely announced that 1.-the Atlantic ocean was cleared of her ene- l mics, and safe to commerce. No battle was fought. There was not even any l chasing of hostile warships The mere majesty of the name of the British sea power seems to have been sufficient. Freighters or passenger liners flying the French. Belgian or British flag may now resume their usual voyages without fear of molestation. The ships of the United States, the Netherlands, Italy and other neutral nations were never in danger Thanks to Britain's unquestionable sea supremacy, American exporters may now assume the serious business of supplying Britain and her allies with the supplies Of which they are in need.
 Even though British soldiers may take no important part in the early stages of the war, England has already rendered great assistance to her allies. She has ab- solutey relieved France of her fear of a naval attack by Germany, and has left the republic free to devote it's whole at tention to repelling the invasion by land. Almost without firing a shot the Ger man fleet has been bottled, and it may re- main useless throughout the war And at any time Britains fleets may btrilSe crushing blow from the North sea, from the Mediterranean or even from the Bal | tic.
 | The guarding of the Atlantic trade
 
 portance from an American standpoint The American, who is not swayed by sym 1 pathy for either side in the European con- fiict, may well be pleased with the achieve | ment. It tends to remove still further from the United States the evil effect of the great conflict of nations
 1 Memphis Commercial Appeal: Just now when every puff of wind is laden with a | war rumor vvhep intarrotio,al ,e,,.,,.,;., 1 tions follow each other thick and fast until Europe is mighty war map, and when mems minds run to things patriotic at home and abroad-jusr now is a fitting time to revive the effort to have Con- gress enact law against the desecration of our flag.
 | And by desecratAn Is not meant only the wanton disrespect of using it for ad- vertising purposes The flag represents l to us the very heart of the government
 it's fostering care and ever-ready protec- 1 tion of us It is to our patriotism what the cross is to our religon-its sign and | symbol-and the reverence we give it should be second only to that we extend to the emblem of the sacrifice on Calvary.
 The bill that is now before Congress covers all points that should mark our at- | titude toward the Stars and Stripes The bill provides that: Any person Or per- l sons, corporation company who shall I use the flag or coat of arms of the United | States, or any pattern, imitation or repre-
 sentation thereof either by printing there on or attaching thereto any advertisement or device for the purpose of gain or profit, or as a trademark or label, or who shall l initiate or represent the flag or coat of arms of the United States for an adver-
 tisement. trademark or label shall be | guilty of a misdemeanor.
 | Also that any person or persons who | shall tear down, trample upon or treat l with indignity or wantonly destroy the | flag or coat of arms or the United States shall be guilty of misdemeanor.
 "Violation of any Of the provisions of | the act is punishable by fine not ex- ceeding $500 or by imprisonment of not
 more than one year."
 Training means everything The man who from childhood has been taught to
 revere the banner of his country will fight for it with more enthusiasm when the fighting time comes. We honor that which we have been taught to reverence,
 and we battle best for that which we have come to love.
 The school room training that requires children to rise in their seats, or teaches boys to stand bare-headed when flag is unfurled is one of those first-aids-to-pa- triotism which will bear fruit through all the years to follow.
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