St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1915-08-25
"DeIiheratelx Unfriendln. /"

deliberately UnfriendIy.''
The torpedoing of the White Star
Liner Arabic on Thursday morning
of last week by a German submarine
is Germany's answer to the note of
July Is which stated that any furth-
er violations of the rights of non
combatants on the high seas would
be considered by this government as
deliberately unfriendly" The Ara
bic was western bound, laden with
passengers and freight and carried
munitions of war or other contra
band goods. 1t was torpedoed with
out warning and the 423 persons on
board were left to save themselves
as best they might in the eleven min
utes that elapsed before the vessel
sank Among these people were
twenty-five noncombatant American
citizens, two of whom apparently
were drowned.
President Wilson is reported to be
shocked at the news of this latest
outrage by the Germans. We hardly
see how he can be. 1t will be re-
membered that we stated at the
time this note was sent that the pres
ident had good grounds for treating
what Germany had already done to
American ships and citizens as de
liberately unfriendly" and we have
expressed the fear that the failure
of the president to so consider them |
might encourage further insult from
the German government. The fact
is the president of the United States
has been trying to feed an enraged |
elephant peanuts, in other words
acting the part of small boy sight
seer when the iron rod of fearless
keeper was demanded. We most
sincerely believe that America should
take a united stand, entirely free
from politics, in dealing with this
serious foreign situation, but it is
not wise to endorse the idea of let
ting the baby play with matches in
powder magazine. That is all
President Wilson has done up to
date. He has failed to present the
demands of this country forcibly
enough to prevent repeated insult
and outrage.
The situation as we view it, is {
that Germany is deliberately des- a
troying vessels on the high seas with $
out giving warning or offering any l
opportunity for noncombatant or a
neutral citizens to care for them a
selves. 1t is deliberately murder t
ing unarmed men, women and child
rem regardless of their nationality.
1t is repeatedly violating all rules of
modern warfare and all rights of d
neutral people. 1t has simply resort n
ed to piracy in its efforts to crush 4
belligerent that is strong upon the r
sea. b
The question before the world
(for the attacks without regard to a
the neutrality of the victims has b
made it a world wide question: is, e
will it allow this wholesale murder =,
and piracy to become an established Y
practice upon the high seas? Can c
the world afford to allow two or a $
half dozen nations at war with each =
other to jeopardize the legitimate q
of neutral nations COM n
merce or to assassinate it's citizens u
whenever they are aboard merchant T.
vessels? Upon these questions rest
all the peace and security of the flu +,
ture. If Germany is allowed to con- a
quer its enemies with such methods =
it will be in position to continue this :
practice whenever it is to its advan-
tage to do so. If this German idea
is hopelessly crushed there is hope
that the whole world will not be
trampled upon during the next in
dog fight. P
Loyal Americans should first pull
their baby president and his matches Il
away from the powder magazine and :
instruct him they have more useful
work for him to do. Then they
should insist that this country do its
necessary part in defending and es-
the rights and safety of
neutrals and noncombatants. If mil
itary action is necessary it must pre-
pare itself for such action. Germany
has repeatedly shown herself "delib-
erately unfriendly" to the United
States and must be treated according
ly. Until recent years it would not
dared to have done so, when men
like Cleveland, Mckinley, Roosevelt