Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-10-27
ANOTHER CLOUD
ON THE HORIZON.

It seems that SO long as the war III
europe continues there is TO be frlc-
ton between the United States ana
GERMANY. The Lusitania affair mad
barely been settled before osha:: is
sues were precipitated by the attack
on vessels by the Kaiser's submarines,
ana during the past few days, wnen
the people of this country were
again at ease after the successful
management of the diplometie re
lations viii Germany by President
Wilson, a TAR more serious diiicuity
is sprung upoh us.
The Richmond Journal sums this
up in {, clsar and logical manner as
follows:
Another very serious issue with the
Imperial German government may De
developed from the arrest, in New
Jersey, of the Germans charged with
plotting to destroy munitions plants
and munition laden ships sailing from
cur ports. Ambassador Dumba, Of
Austria, was dismissed dishonorably
and sent home because he tried to
cripple our munition factories by in
stigating strikes, of Austrian and Hun
garian workmen. If these men just
arrested tell the truth, their offense
rs far worse. We have had hammered
into us very diligently the doctrine
that a German officer cannot he or do
wrong, that his word must be taken
against the adverse evidence of any
runber of witnesses and against CD
.moua and undisputed facts. There
fore we must assume that the ma
who says he is Lieutenant Fay, Of the
German artillery service, is telling the
truth in his confession.
If he is telling the truth, the Ger
man government sent here into this
neutral country an agent instructed
to destroy, by stealth, the property
and lives of our citizens. This
property is being used for purposes
sanctioned by our laws and by the
law of nations. The German govern
ment is within its rights when it
seizes on the high seas munitions o.:
other supplies intended for an enemy
country. Il goes grossly beyond its
own rights and viciously disregards
and violates our rights when it sends
its AGENTS here to kill American Cit:
zens and destroy their property. There
can be no question OF that. The Ger
man government ungracefully, un-
graciously and reluctantly conceded
the justice of our demand that sub
marine warfare must be brought
within the rules of civilization and
that provision should be made to give
those aboard ships reasonable oppor-
tunity to save their lives. Yet now j!
sondS men over here OH our soil to
destroy and Stay without warning. 4
very clear disavowai ard a distinct
apology and promise that the offense
shall not be repeated should be &C.
manded. If the German government
has the right to send here 10 blow up
our ammunition factories, it has the
same right 10 have dynamite planted
under the Offices Of newspapers which
take position against it, under the
Offices and homes of bankers who sub
scribed to the Anglo-Frencn loan and
of other citizens who may be strongly
pro-ally.
1t is a curious illustration Of the
workings of the German official mind
that in this plot not a moments
thought was given to the matter of
human life, the life of the neutral and
the non-combatant. Factories were
to be blown up regardless of how
many American workmen might be
killed. Ships were to be sunk at sea
without consideration Of the number
of American, Spanish, scandinavian
or other non-combatant sailors o.
neutral nations that might be sent X
death. That small question was put
aside as unworthy of attention.