The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-11-13
The Difficulties Of a Neutral

ward bound. with the resulting destruction of the
striking confirmation of the opinions of those who
long ago declared that the cessation of Germany's
ruthless submarine warfare due to the ac-
tivity of British patrol boats and by means to
the frmness of American diplomacy. 1t appears
that in this instance the submarine flew the Aus
: man-built and German-manned submarine under
whatever flag it chose to sail for the moment No
doubt this technicalty and the additional that
the Ancona had attempted to escape will be duly
considered by our State Department.
To the lay mind it seems clear that having de-
termned to transfer her submarine warfare to the
Mediterranean-@-xise and up to the present a
resultful decision-Germany will carry on that
warfare in exactly the same way she carried it
on in the Irish Sea. NoIdoubt it is hoped that by
free of the Austrian flag any contretemps
that may arise with the United States be
thrashed out de novo instead of beginning where
the last controversy left Off, indeed. it did
leave off anywhere But in any event Germany
has learned by this time that as far as she is con-
cerned friendship" is practically indestrue-
tible. She can always apologize and pay-if it
isn't going to cost too much-and go on as before
until the Mediterranean is made as submarine.
proof as the British Isles
But as matter of fact the Ancona affair raises
once more the wider question to whether we
have really maintained an attitude of strict neu-
trality where Germany is involved-such at
ttude as justifes in describing last note to
Great Britain as medicine out of the same bot
tie" Let us examine, for the sake of argument,
and from the allies point of view, the various
against us. The bill of complaint would include
the following items:
I. We permitted the Germans to use the Say
vile wireless plant for unneutra purposes for sew
eral months in spite of complaints, and in fact,
until the Providence Journal made an expose of
the matter.
2. While German warships were still at large
we permitted-and in one at least, that of the
Sacramento, British protest-nunitions and
supplies to be carried from our ports to German
cruisers.
3. Our internment of the crews of the Kaiser
Wilhelm and the Eitel Friedrich has been carried
out in such careless and farcical manner that
several of the interned officers have been enabled
to escape in a vessel with the apparent object of
attacking British shipping
T. We have allowed Germany's agents to forge
American passports and to take genuine American
passports from American citizens and give them
to Spies and though having positive proof in our
possession have permitted Germany to merely
deny the matter.
s. We permitted fraudulent affidavit to be
presented to us in the Lusitania case and made
no attempt to connect the affair with German
agents, as might easily have done
e. We made attempt to stop the wholesale
German propaganda in this country, although in
- IL.
the expose in the New York World compelled US
to do
J. We made attempt to put stop to Dr.
Dumba's activities, although having information
on the subject, until the expose in the Archibald
case.
8. We have made real attempt to stop or
unearth the gigantic conspiracy which is still
operating unchecked to plant bombs on ships and
FIRE munitions factories an attempt which should
have been started in earnest at the time of the
assassination of J. P Morgan.
Q. We accepted Germany's denial of the tor
pedoing of the Hesperian notwiths tanding the
positive report of naval experts that the YES
sci torpedoed.
10. We allowed the Zealandia to depart from
port under extremely suspicious circumstances
II. We have taken real steps to safeguard
the lives of Americans in Turkey
IL. We did not withdraw Gaffney from
Munich until there a newspaper expose max
ing such action necessary.
Now, all these things may perhaps be easy of
exclamation, but it can Hly be explained that
failure in each not due to a want of zeal
The failure itself remains-subject to such con-
struction those who want to challenge the ef-
fectiveness of neutrality will naturally put
upon it. And it cannot be doubted that our I'm
willingness or inability really to bring Germany
to account in many matters, great and small, must
seriously handicap when it comes to dealing
with the allies. And above all and overshadowing
all remains the destruction of the Lustania and
the wanton killing of over a hundred Americans,
women and children for the most part an act of
barbarity that this tragedy of the Ancona
too wildly calls to mind. Unoffcially Germany's
last word the Lusitania case was shout of
delight. Germanys last word was to Justify the
act and refuse either disavowal or indemnity,
and there it rests
Mr.. Kitehins Opposition.
CIauj.