Perth Amboy evening news., 1915-05-11
URGES PEOPLE TO
HELP PRESIDENT
Think What War Really Means,
Says Congressman In State
ment on Lusitania Incident.


Congressman Thomas j. Scully, of
South Amboy, gave out the follow
ing interview on the Lusitania Incl
dent.
II think that in view of this aw-
ful disaster 1t should be the duty of
every citizen to remember that
President Wilson should be left free
and unhampered to determine what
Is best to be done. We should think,
too. that in giving him the highest
Office this country could bestow, we
also exact from him the very greatest
responsibilities. To offer unsolicited
advice and harass him now with de-
mands Of the hysterical, hair trigger
Kind is TO fail lamentably In our du-
| ties. As nation we should stand
solidly, shoulder to shoulder behind
him and the course he may see fit to
pursue.
AS for making this an act OF war,
as some hot-headed people are de-
manding, let them stop to think what
war really means. Besides,
shouldn't that be really helping Ger
many? The shipments of war ma
terisl we are now sending to the al
lies fand the thing that Germany
blames us most for) would be need
| ed most by ourselves, thus Gripping
| her foes.
How justification can be found
for this dastardly attack is beyond
me. A plea of military necessity no
more justifies drowning the neutral
passengers of even an enemy's ship
than a plea of personal convenience
| justifies an individual in knitting e
| man that happens to be in his way.
| Il have stated once before that
1our ayowed iisinterestedness In the.
jaffairs of European nations has not
made us any friends, and will be
ldebited against US for all time.
| II two men were in a deadly enl-
brace rolling over In the dirt of the
/, street, biting and clawing and try
! ing their best to gouge out each 9th
| er's eyes, the spectacle of third
! man sitting on the curb stone view
| ing the fight with a calm, judicial
| impartiaiity would certainly be irrf-
! tating. And, II the third party were
getting all the business they had
spent their lifetime in building up
lit would not lessen the annoyance
| Any advantage we give to either
J country will be resented by the
other. No indeed. strict neutrality
is not popular in Europe.
''As a basic fact, however, no mat
ter what action OF whatever conse-
/, quences follow the sinking Of the
Lusitania, this country cannot re-
cede from the position she has taken
as regards the sale of munitions and
food stuffs and the right of her citi-
zens to sail the seas unmolested.
That Germany has committed blum
! der of the first magnitude in unde-
niable But l have faith, however,
| in that any demands we make of
Germany we will be given assurance
and all doubt removed as to the con-
| tinuance of friendly relations. Situ-
ations far more crucial have been
met by this country and honorably IN
every instance. The task of settling
the issue in a manner satisfactory TO
the nations ideas of right can be
safely left to our firm, self-rellant
and wise President. who knows the
minds and hearts of his countrymen.
1--WE should remember that Spain
has always denied that as a govern
menteshe ordered or had any facts
concerning the blowing up OF the
Maine To this day we cannot say
how the explosion of the Maine TOOK
place AS in that case, so 1t might
be claimed for the Lusitania disaster
that it was the act of an overzealous
officer who by doing so sought COM
mendation from his country for the
deed. The German government may
put forward just such defense, and
offer full reparation. The only ques-
ton that concerns this country is the
lives of the Americans lost. The de-
struction of the vessel has no bear
ing on our position.
1.-THE really graver affronts are the
cases of the wrecking OF the Gulf
light. the attack on the Falaba, the
sinking Of the William P. Frye and
the dropping of bombs on the Cush-
ing.
1--WE have as a matter of fact
treaty still in force with Prussia,
dating back to 1925, which covers
the case Of the Frye. and in which
treaty. clauses covering the seizure
and the payment of contraband, the
right of search, loss OF vessel and
cargo where caused by either of the
treaty parties, are all provided for.
But when all is said, the only
genuine guarantee of freedom of the |
sea for American vessels lies in a |
greater and stronger navy. AS we
have seen the offensive and defensive |
yalue of submarines, we must pro-
vide a ffotilla equal In size and ef- |
lciency to the European countries.
CT