Carson City daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1907-1930, 1914-12-01
NO CHIP ON OUR SHOULDER

The people of the United States ire for peace with all the world
not peace al. n price, but peace with honor respect and the good will
of all nations. There can be no doubt Of the existence OF this sent
mentN o n the part Oft masses of thisc country, in spite OFT the occasional
jngoistc ebulhtons of ham-tigger individuals who are We ready to
sacrifice all their wie's' relations O the altar OF al. Considering the
soundness and sensibiiy of the general temper, it is rather asonish-
ing to find SC usually calm and sedate a statesman a Henry Cabot
Lodge exhibiting lingo tendencies. 1t must be attributed to n of
those lapses into savagery which some chemists tell us all men arc
liable t. at n time or another.
These are mighty peious times for nations that desire to tread the
paths of peace and it Dehooves all citizens to keep a cool head and a
calm mind. With half the world at war there re certain to arise Incl
dents that will try on patience and offend II sensibIihes. The firing
N the boat Of the Tennessee by a Turkish fort is one OF these. If there
had been a hairtrigger jingo in the presidents chair at Washington that
incident might have been the signal to drag this country into Europes
war-weter, without any delay for consideration OF investigation. For
tunatIy there is a calm, COOL sober man al the head of this naton, ne
who has a clear realization of his tremendous responsibility, and there
W as n going off halfcocked yer what has, o careful investigation,
seemed to be an incident, however regretab1e, was not sanctioned by
the Turkish government nor intended as an afront to this country.
How much better it is ito investigate before assuming a high and mighty
attitude upon the first reports of such matters. There are apt to be
many incidents arising, unpleasant to the United States, but which
afford no reason for us to join in the war, before peace is restored to
Europe.
Striving TO keep at peace with all the world does not, however,
require us as a nation to maintain a spineless attitude, and III govern
ment may be depended upon to go to any length necessary to protect
the American flag o the American people from wilful insult or injury.
1t may be that occasion will arise which will call for drastic acton. If
it does, which God forbid, the offending power will find Uncle Sam
quick to resent a wihul injury and prompt to demand and enforce salts
der, challenging some other nation to knock il off. We shall go ID
every honorable length to preserve peace. A wise step in that direction
was or evacuation Of Vera Cruz, happily accomplished without a single
untoward incident. That action keeps us from becoming embroned in
the civil strife OF Mexico, while it demonstrates to the other republics
of the American continent the good faith Of IL repeated declarations
that We do not seek n foot OF additional territory. The continue
presence of United States bau1eships in the waters adjacent to Mexico
will afford protection to American interests in that unhappy country.
The prolonged occupation OF Mexican territory by United States troops
could be nothing else but a invitation to trouble and a menace to
peaceful relations.