The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-05-15
And Let Our
People Heed It

The sinking OF the Lusitania, with
her heavy freightage OF peaceful trav-
elers, including hundreds of women
and children, was not an act OF war,
II was a deed of Wholesale murder.
In considering this frightful cpl.
sode of war waged with unparallel.
ed ruthlessness and barbarity 1t Is
idle to take into account ernical-
tiles and the niseties OF information.
al law. II Is futile to give ear to the
bitter charges which will doubtless
at once spring to the lips of the al
lies that the law of nations has been
violated by this colossal crime, and
II would be equally useless to heark-
en- to the defense that will unques.
tionably be made by the German au-
thorites that the doer of the deed
was acting in accordance with the
laws of war, and that his act is fur
Their justified by the fact that fair
warning had been given OF 1t by an
o"Sioi b'oSiaihdtlOn VI tho 'oi man
embassy.
Consideration for the laws of war
vanishes in the face Of so great a
catastrophe which violates the great
er law Of common humanity.
Both parties to the struggle which
Is now racking Europe have held
themselves superior to that code Of
laws and customs by which civiliza-
ton has tried to remove from war
something of its ruthlessness to anne
liorate somewhat the hardships and
sufferings it imposes upon non com.
batants.
No! The fact is only emphasized
today the fact that has long been
apparent-that neither the allies nor
the Germans give to international
law or custom any more adherence
than may suit their immediate end.
They are both stopped from discuss
ing this frightful catastrophe In the
light OF any international law or us
age. AS to its cruel and in the end
futile and useless violation Of every
principle of ordinary humanity there
can be no two opinions.
It must, however teach the people
of the United States who will today
read with horror the list of their
fellow countrymen sacrificed to the
red rage of Europe that nation can
rely upon nothing for its own protec-
ton, and for the safeguarding of its
own citizens, except its own physical
power to protect them against all me-
mace.
The nations struggling for the VIC
tory in Europe have taught us that
modern warfare, despite the modern
veneer OF civilization is as cruel and
ruthless as that in any barbaric age.
They have shown us that the word Of
great monarchs and leading prime
ministers expressed in treaties is as
worthless, in fact, than the promise
of an untutored savage. They have
left nothing undone, indeed to teach
this nation, and other onlookers, that
all which will be respected among ma.
tons today is physical force.
Shall We not heed the lesson? Is
this nation to continue In its pres.
ent course OF relying blindly upon the
hollow superficial friendship expressed
in treaties of nations which have
shown themselves incapable Of friend
ship and Indifferent to treaty obliga-
tons?
1t is cruelty late to begin the pre-
paration for self defense which
ought not to be preparation now but
completed fact. But late though
It is, such action Is doubly demand
ed by the lesson of the Lusitania. II
pea.e should Unexpectedly come, we
could not trust in peace any of the
nations that In war have shown them
selves oblivious to international OBJ.
legations. 1t is for u.s. to set our
shoulders to the wheel and put our
nation in a condition of thoroughly
adequate defense. New York Ameri.
can (HearsD.