The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-05-19
INFORMATION ABOUT AMERICA

The Germans claim to be an ex-
ceedingly weIl-informed people, and
they also claim that the Americans
are fed on English lies, but the follow
ing are specimens of the kind of stuff
their own papers are giving them:
The Hamburger Freindenblatt says:
"The United States government is
now in an awkward position. The
policy of President Wilson has appar-
emily not taken the English threat to
destroy German trade as seriously as
it was intended, and has consequently
offended all parties with its measures.
Lack of employment is steadily on the
increase; in New York City alone
there are said to be 100000 people
out of work, and the troubles in Mex
leo and the China-Japanese war make
matters still worse. The Germans
and the Irish have turned against the
government because its attitude is IA
vorable toward England. The Amer
leans, on the other hand, object that
the country would be ruined if the gil
gantic export of weapons, ammuni-
ton, horses, clothing, wool and pro-
visions had not saved the situation.
Their attitude in the East continues
to be anti-German, but in the South
there is also great aniTnosity to
England because cotton cannot be ex-
ported; the West is for the most part
ro-German. The press is no real
guide to the feeling amongst the peo-
pie. The conflict between China and
Japan, which is of such great inn
portance to the United States, does
not affect the people at all. This
shows how their political instinct is to
be estimated. President Wilson's re-
election seems to be out of the ques-
ton; the whole country will feel it
badly if they make Germany their en-
envy. The day of reckoning will not
fail to come, and Germany will not be
the loser
Der Tag, Berlin, says:
president Wilson is very much
troubled by the drowning of so many
American citizens. We Germans sin
cerely share his feelings, but we see
in the Lusitania affair one of the
many cruel necessities which strug-
gle for existence brings with it.
IF, as English reports try to make
US believe, Mr.. Wilson is now medi-
tating revenge, we will not disturb
him in this occupation, but would only
hope that his demands will be adj
| dressed to the right, not the wrong,
quarters. On the German side ev-
erything was done to warn American
travellers from the impending peril,
while British responsibility and ar
rogance nullified the effect of the Ger
man admonitions.
Mr.. Wilson is certainly in a pre-
carious position. After showing him
self so weak in the face of the long
and ruthless British provocation he
has to play the strong man with Ger
many; otherwise he will lose what
prestige he has left. He knows that
in the background pretender to the
throne, Mr.. Roosevelt, is lurking.
"But what are the gallant shouters
in the United States thinking about :?
Should the United States send troops
to take part in the fighting in Elan
ders? The gigantic losses of their
Canadian neighbors should not ex-
actly encourage them from the mill
tary standpoint.
Moreover, the United States are
so weak that they have never been
able to impose their will on Mexico
or to do anything to the still more
unpleasant Japanese except clench
their fists in their pockets.
SHOULD their Observation-Disclosures
cross the ocean? England has not
even useful work for her own iron
clads. What should the American
warships do?
How about our German brethren
in the United States? A half million
German and Austro- Hungarian re-
servists, who are not permitted to
take part in the defense of their
homelands, will they stand with fold
ed arms and see their Netherlands