The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-06-12


 promise only one coIor-red.
 Second:, Knowing that the President desires peace, it is your duty to help him secure it. And how? By exerting your in huence to convince the German Government Of this fact and to persuade that Government to take no steps that would lead in the direction Of war. My fear has been that the German Govern ment might, despairing of a friendly settlement, break off dip 1onsatic relations. and thus create condition out of which war might come without the intention of either country.
 do not ask you to minimize the earnestness of the Presidents statem ment-that would be unfair, both to him and to Germany. The sinking of the Lusitania cannot be defended upon the facts as we understand them. The killing of innocent women and children cannot be Justified, whether the killing is by drowning or starving.
 No nation can successfully plead the in1lumanity Of her enemies as an excuse for inhumanity on her own part. While it is true that cruelty is apt to beget cruelty, it cannot be said that Hike cures lilSes, Even in war, we are not abso1ved from the obligation to remedy evils by the influence of a good example. Let your light so shine is a precept that knows no times nor seasons as it knows neither latitude nor longitude.
 Third-Do not attempt to con- meet the negotiations which are going on between the United between tho United States and Great Britain. The cases are diff ferent, but even if they were the same, it would be necessary to treat our insistence that the allies shall not interfere with out com merce with neutral countries, but the difference on this point was a matter of judgment and hot matter of principle. Tn the note to Great Britain, dated March 80, this governme said:
 Insview of these assurances for ma11y given to this government, it is confidently expected that the extensive powers conferred by the Order in Council on the executive officers of the Crown will be. re- stricted by orders issued by the government directing the exer- else of their discretionary powers in such a manner as to modify in practical application those provI- sions of the Order in Council, which, if strictly enforced, would violate neutral rights and inter- rupt 1egitimate trade. Relying OH the faithful performance of these voluntary assurances by his Maj estyss government the United States takes + r,fe, the approach of American ner- chantmen to neutral ports stitu- ated upon the long line of coast affected by the Order in Council it is known that the do not carry goods which are contraband Of war or goods destined to or pro- ceeding from ports within the belligerent territory affected.
 There is no doubt that our gov ernment will insits upon this po- sftion-that is an important thing, the exact date of the note is not material My reason for desiring to have tEk matter presented to Great Britain at once was not that Germany had any right to ask it. but because I was anxious to make it as easy as possible for Germany to accept the demands of the United States and cease to employ submarines against mer- chantmen.
 There is no reason why any German-Amerfcans should doubt the Presidents intentions in this matter. I am sure that every one upon reflection recognizes that our dutysto prevent loss of life 1s more urgent than our duty to prevent interference with trade-Ioss of trade can be comp pensated for with money, but no settlem ent that the United States and Germany may reach can call back to life those who went down with the Lusitania
 and war would be the most expensive of all settlements be- cause it would enormously add to the number of the dead.
 FourthEI hope. that Germany will acquiesce in the demands that have been made, and hope that she will acquiesce in them with out conditions. She can trust the United States to deal justly with her in the consideration of any changes that she u1ay propose in the international rules that govern the taking of prizes. The more generously she acts in this matter the greater will be the glory which she will derive from it. She has raised question which is now receiving serious consideration, namely, whether the introduction of the su omar inc necessitates any change in the rules governing the capture of prizes. The position seemingly taken by Germany. namely, that she is entitled to drown non-com- batants because they ride with contraband, is an untenable posi- ton The most that she could in sist upon is that, in view of the Introduction of this new weapon of warfare, new rules should be adopted. separating passengers from objectionable cargo.
 If the use of the submarine justif1es such a change in the law of blockade as will permit the cordon to be withdrawn far enough from the shore to avoid the danger of submarine attack. may it not be found possible to secure an international agree ment by which passengers will be excluded from ships carrying contraband. or, at least. from those carrying ammunition?
 It would require but a slight change in the shipping laws to make this separation, and bellig- erent nations might be restrain