Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-06-18
ESSAY BY MISS HAGAR
Continued from page l


ocean. Never. Since the ATmades
have the narrow seas been so full of
terror. All the small neutral powers
of northern and western Europe are
in daily fear of being drawn into the
| contest. >s.S
Since the Napoleon time there has
been no war in Central Europe
which involved more than two or at
the most three great powers.
In every war after 1915 there was
a large group of country which took
no part in the hostilities but which
maintained as far as possible while
war was going on, their previous
relations of trades and intercourse
with the beiligerent, Gradually
therefore by custom and by treaties,
which involved neutral powers; the
rights and duties of neutrals were
laid down.
Yet these rights of neutrals are
insufficient and far from perfect
They cannot insure peace and tran
guilty to non-combatants. We have
witnessed that fact many times in
our country within the last three
years. During the Balkan wars,
Servia, Bulgarian, Turk and Greek
went home to take advantage of the
opportunity to get killed in defence
of his country and this in spite of
our law explicitly forbidding any
American citizen to become an officer
or soldier in a foreign army. What
a drain upon our nations resources
The present wars likewise wreak
untold havoc within the peaceful
boundaries of the United States. No
earthquake, no fire or lack of food
could cause one-tenth Of the anguish
and terror which is now prevalent in
our country. Besides the great
damage to our commercial and in
dustfial prosperity, we suffer greatly
because of ties of blood and sympa,
thy. We are an amalgamation of
many people; consequently as nation
are in sympathy with all the contest
ants. These ties of interest and sym
patty are all the stronger because
of the great number of Americans,
who in recent years have visited
Europe. So strong and so varied
have been the sympathies that our
president has found it expedient to
issue procalamations of neutrality
and urge his felloW-countrymen not
to take sides among themselves.
Aside from personal interests the
United States is slightly moved by
the disturbance of commerce. There
has been nothing like it since modern
commerce arose. Today we suffer
immensely from the loss of our prof
table trade with both Germany anC
Russia, not to mention that with the
other countries Many of the thriv
ing communities have been thrown
into a state of famine and our capita
lists bankrupted because they arr
deprived of the means of their prosp
Gritty.
: On the other hand the war ha
some advantages. 1t has enlightened
the American public in many ways
, From the newspapers which have be
, moane1 our unpreparedness for
from the policy Of our president, ant
from the public approvals, of thi
same policy we are learning tina
, America is in the van of peace desir
, ing nations and impatiently awaiting
an opportunity to act the part of tn
good Samaritan. What more can w
desire for our country than to b
: Gods country.
, Think to what wonderous proc
} of the benefit of that total abstain
ence is given us in the result of CzaI
, Nicholas decree, prohibiting the sal,
Of Intoxicating beverages in al
| Russia. Is not England's timid i'm
itation an acknowledgement of it
, great good.
We are also brought face to fac,
with the fact that American youth
need some compulsory training t.
render them more impervious t. thu
great white plague, the world S mos
dreaded and at the same time mos
hated disease. Consider the result
of Germany's forced military ser
vice. In spite of the undesirable
side of barrack life, which in itsel