Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-08-24
ENGLISH EYES on
AMERICAN MOVES
illinois Stats Zeitung Sees
Possibility of Hostile Decla-
ration From Abroad.

! Establishment of an American mer
chant marine which may rival the
supremacy of Great Britain on the
high seas is sufficient cause for the
| beginning of British hostilities against
the United States, according to an edi.
| torial which appears in the Illinois
| Staats-Zeitung today. The article fol
! lows:
After Germany it is to be the Unit
| ed States. In less time than was eX-
pected our prediction that the United
States would be the next that England
must overcome in the battle for the
supremacy of the seas is to come true.
England will not assume a hostile
attitude toward the United States I'M
| til it becomes apparent that. owing TO
the European conflict, our foreign COM
merce has the advantage over her own.
England already threatens TO smother
the promising initial efforts OF the
American marine when she plans to
notify the government at Washington
that she will not respect the stars and
stripes flying over a vessel formerly
sailing under the German flag. This
constitutes an ultimatum, which for
dtIOSdACC anu uGAlethIC SHud4Gu Ohly
by the craving of the Japs for the
German and American South Sea Is
lands.
For the second time in the last half
century England is preparing to stop
the fight of the American eagle over
the seas and lasso and strangle him.
AT this moment when the American
nation heralds the beginning of a new
era and is about to move into the place
due her among the ranks of seafaring
nations, it is in order to look back
over the events of the past so years
and note that at one time the union
had every prospect of gaining the as
tendency over England in foreign COM
merce.
Toward the middle of the century
the American mercantile marine al
most equaled that of the British and
the stars and stripes were seen almost
as frequently on the Atlantic as the
union jack. Three-fourths of our for
eign shipping was done under the
American flag.
THE civil war gave England a much
welcome opportunity to get rid of a |
dangerous competitor the same as
Spain, Holland, France, and Denmark |
previously.
Every American should recall the !
history of the great struggle for ma
tional unity and remember the shame
full treachery of the English against |
the union. At English docks the pri-
vateers were built and equipped that
the confederacy sent out to destroy the
of the north; and ships
by English captains and Eng
iSh crews sucked the blood out of
American foreign commerce by their
Diratical raids. Only the sharp note
sent by Secretary Seward threatening
var prevented the London freebooters
rom recognizing the independence of
he south.
mo less than go sailing vessels
we're lost by the north through British
pirates, and when in 1872 the court
# arbitration at Geneva made known
hat England had been guilty of pi-
acy and sentenced her to pay the
United States $15,000.0O0, this country
vas very little benefited by this moral
md material victory. The flower of =
is foreign commerce had received a
lent from which up to the present time
has not recovered. In 1871 the per-
entage of American vessels partici-
ating in maritime commerce was 161A
er cent; in 1905 not more than 10 per
ent.
"Will the United States really toll
rate the arrogant threat of England
hat the stars and stripes be hauled /
own from ships bought with Ameri- !
an money and be towed away as /
God prices? The answer TO this 1
uestion should suggest itself America 5
as just emphatically expressed its @
to establish a new mer- .
liant marine and their captains OF 4
are preparing to build up a d
roud forest of masts crowned with >
he stars and stripes. Large funds =
re being liquidated for this purpose Ii
nd in order TO take advantage of the n
Lvorable hour congress has passed y
he war indemnity act. a
only through the purchase OF C.
erman ships can the wishes and in y
rests OF America be prot ected. Shall
C allow this opportunity 10 be denied :,