The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1915-05-14
Friday, May IA, 1915
THREE MEN IN A CRISIS.

11o OulIeu OCdIcS 10 iOOdy
facing one Of the most momen-
tous crisis of the nations his
tory. The statement of this
fact, portentous as it sounds, in
but small measure serves to give
us an adequate conception of the
gravity of the situation. The
world, from pole to pole, is
vibrant with the tremors OF
tragedy as Humanity itself faces
the greatest crisis in the history
of mankind. All of the great
nations of the earth, save one,
are madly engaged in the slaugh-
ter of men and that one fortunate
nation stands today in danger
of having to take the plunge in
to the sea of blood. Beset on
three sides with possibilities of
international strife, bdrdened
with the responsibilities of ulti-
mate service to the warning
peoples of earth, our Chief
Magistrate faces a tremendously
grave and delicately critical sit
utation. His immediate pre-
decessor, Mr.. Taft, with a broad
minded and patriotic grasp of
the situation, ranges himself up
alongside the President with an
utterance worthy of a man who
has served as the chosen repre-
sentative of a hundred million
Americans. He says:
The news of the sinking of
the Lusitania as it comes this
morning is most distressing.
It presents situation of the
most difficult character, prop
erly awakening great nation
al concern. [ do not wish to
embarrass the President or
the Administration by dis
cussion of the subject at this
stage of the information eX-
cept- to express confidence
that the President will fol-
low wise and patriotic
course.
For Mr.. Taft this was simple
thing to do. He took the attitude
of a big, right-minded man; but,
while our hearts were still warm
with appreciation of his stand,
a chilling blast came from an
other quarter. Another former
occupant of the Presidential
chair bounced into print with a
discordant roar that, even though
we consider the source, disgusts
and shames US as nation. AS
printed in the newspapers, it is
divided into five short para
graphs. Note the use of the
first person singular in the be-
ginning of these paragraphs.
Note the use of the first person
singular in the beginning Of these
paragraphs:
On the night of the day
that the disaster occurred |
called the attention of our
people to the fact that the
sinking of the Lusitania.
Icalled attentiontot the fact
that this was merely the ap-
pfcation on the high seas
and at our expense
| said that not only our
duty to humanity st large
| can do little more than
reiterate what | then said,
etc.
Now read the lost paragraph
and consider how much latitude
of decision is left to the man to
whom we have intrusted our
destinies in these parlous times;
The use of this pras
strict accountability" of
course, must mean, and can
only mean, that. action will
be taken by us without an
hours unnecessary delay.
1t was eminently proper to
use the exact phrase was
used; and having used it, our
self-respect demands that
we forthwith abide by it.
And yet, even now, there are
men who can look with equanim-
ity on the possibility of placing
the delicate task of guiding the
course of this nation in the hands
Of Theodore Rooseveltl-Balti-
more Sun.