The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1915-08-05
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many and the sympathizers with
Great Britain are doing what they
can to becloud the issues between
those countries and the United states.
The sympathizers with Germany
persist in saying that we are trying
to put stop to her submarine war
fare and the sympathizers with
Great Britain are contending that
we are trying to embarrass her by
insisting that she shall not inter-
fsre with orr commerce with neutral
nations. We are neither trying to
stop Germany's submarine warfare
nor to interfere with Great Britain's
efforts to prevent Germany from
getting cotton and other supplies
from this country.
What we are tryingto dois to up
hold the rights Of neutrals, our
rights as the greatest Of the neutral
nations, on the sea. Those rights
are clearly defined in the law of ma
tions and they are well understood
by those who are accusing us Of
trying to stop Germany 5 submarine
warfare and Of seeking to embarrass
Great Britain in her efforts to main
tain her blockade of German ports.
II would naturally seem that,
understanding them, they would
state them fairly instead Of trying
to cloud the issues. They are trying
to cloud the issues because they
realize that they haven't q good case
against our government. They are
forced to make misstatements in
order 10 make even showing in
behalf OF their contention.
Our government is saying to the
German government that it has no
purpose Of interfering with its sub
marine warfare but that the warfare
must be conducted, in 50 far as the
United States is concerned, in ac-
cordance with the rules OF maritime
wrrfare. Those rules permit Ameri-
can citizens to travel on merchant
ships of neutrals and belligerenti
anywhere on the seas and they re-
quire that before merchant ships are
torpedord time must be given for
passengers and crews to escape.
Our trouble with Germany grew out
Of the torpedoing Of the Lusitania
without giving her notice, without
giving her passengers and crew a
chance to escape, and more than
one hundred American lives were
lost. Is not our government right
in requiring that notice be given?
Then why is it that German SYM
pathizers insist that we are trying
to put stop 10 Germany's submar-
inc warfare.
1t is the contention of our govern
ment that Great Britain has greatly
changed that law by her orders in
council, and that hence our trade
with neutral ma tons is greatly res
tricted. And yet it is contended
by British sympathizers that we are
seeking to break down Great Brit
aims blockade Of Germany. We
are doing nothing of the kind, We
are simply demanding our right as
neutrals. The facts will sustain
this statement.
The United States wants nothing
except her rights. If she doesn t
stand up for them they will be
wholly disregarded by the belliger-
ents, greatly to the injury of her
people. It is her duty to insist
upon her rights on the seas and she
wouldn't be doing her duty if she
didn't. If the demands she Is
making are not in accordance With
the law it is certain that they will
not be granted. There is no prob
ability therefore that she will de-
mand anything to which she isn't
entitled. Those therefore who are
endeavoring to cloud the issues
should cease doing so. They should
.