The weekly soliphone., 1915-05-14

THE LUSITANIA.
Ebert Hubbard elected to 60 over ana tax person
ally with Bill Kaiser and from that nd1vldual gam some
inside information concerning the european colnc. pc
fore leaving on the Lustania Ebert gave the newspapers
spicy interview in which he intmated that perhaps
ali did not 90 we'll upon the briny deep he would meet
the celebrated German in St. Helena.
cal makeup as billion human beings we have never
heard Of His existence may have been marked by
greater efforts upon his part than is common with
humanity but he flesh and blood like the rest OF us
and entitled to protection than the other MIL
lions who inhabit the United States.
Likewise as to Alfred G. Vanderbilt who inherited
few tons Of pure gold from his graspng ancestors
Likewise as dozens of other firsclass passengers
who were the Lusitania when submarine carefully
directed couple of topedoes at her vtas and sent her
to the oceans bottom off the Irish coast Because OF the
so-called prominence of of the people who met
death as result of Germanys heatless method OF war
fare terrific howl is going to be raised by metropolitan
newspapers for participation either directly or indirectly
by the American in the bloody struggle The
participation demanded may be in the form Of diplomat
ic pressure actual measures regarding our German
policy but, in whatever form, it is suggested not in a
spirit of friendly interest in all the people OF this
try but by the natural horror incident to the thought that
few wealthy New Workers who control neat block in
Wall Street should be merclessy lowered as food for
the fishes
It is but natural that when an incident so shocking
to all the finer sensibes of humanity becomes known
spirit of resentment is fired and desire for revenge
in specific form should result The tragedy OF the
Lsitana parallels in degree of horror that of the Titanic
yet when the Titanic went down there was no one to
blame but the Creator With the Lusania the situation
is different German submarine, directed by skilled
engineer and commanded by intelligent educated Of
fcer elected to destroy this splendid ship and cruelty
cOld-bloodedly murder her and passengers From
the individual standpoint the Germans murderers in
the sense individual would be who walked up
to neighbor and blew out his brains. But from the
standpoint of recognized institution, who can
say that the Germans not at least acting within
their rights human agents of indscrimnate destruc
ton just as the English are acting when they seek to
force the German rulers into submission by starving the
civilian population of the Empire? Parallel the two
and you will find little difference in degree of br-
tally In fact the only difference lies in the fact that
the nOn-cOmbatants the Lusitania were DESTROYED
quickly and in comparatively painless manner, while
those in Germany who to be deprived of bread must
suffer the pangs OF hunger and privaton for great
many miserable weeks before the end is in sight Choos
ing between starvation and firstcass warsized and
highly active torpedo is not very pleasant mental pic
ture but such is the portion of war;
And while we deplore the heartless methods adopt
ed we are too prone to permit national pride and
our innate patriotism to gain the upper hand of our
judgment when cry out for revenge against the agents
directing Germanys warfare We magnify the loss of
the American lives because few of millionares
We're murdered when would have given little thought
to the act if the Lusana had been sailing with only her
crew consisting OF mixture of British and American
seamen. In the latter event is barely possible we
would have minmized the outrage by saying these Am
ecan sailors were acting upon their nitiatve We're
taking the risk in return for stipulated salary and
victims OF their acts Grasp that thought firm
ly in mind and you have the solution of the entire prob
lem You understand, then, how when this big
vessel steamed up to the pier in New York harbor to
ceive her freghtage of humanity the individuals who
focked to her saterooms and to her cabins guar
dans of their acts Just Senator Stone expressed
it, the instant they stepped board the Lustania and
steamed into the designated declared by Germany
to be the zone they Were fact the guests of the
British government. They were within a walled city,