The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1915-05-19
the Traxler Real Estate company and
has always taken stand for the up
building of Greenville.
ROOSEVELT FAVORS ACTION.
WOlAd have Commercial Intercourse
with Germany Forbidden and with
Allies EncOurnged


with Germany Forbidden and with
Allies Encouraged.
Syracuse, N. Y, May 11.-Former
President Theodore Roosevelt tonight
made plea for prompt action by the
United States on account of the Lusi-
tania disaster, while commenting on
President Wilson'S speech Of last night
to gathering of naturalized Amer
i'ans in Philadelphia. Col Roosevelt
wes particularly interested in that
part of the presidents speech in which
trn latter referred to such thing
as a man being too proud to fight,
and "a nation being so right that it
does not need to convince others by
force that it is right"
"I think that China is entitled to
draw all the comfort she can from
this statement" said Col. Roosevelt,
"and it would be we'll for the United
States to ponder seriously what the
effect upon China has been of man
aging her foreign affairs during the
last fifteen years on the theory thus
cnunciated.
"If the United States is satisfied
with occupying some time in the fu-
tire the precise international position
that China now occupies, then the
United States can afford to act on this
theory. But it cannot act on this the
DRY If It desires to retain or regain the
position won for it under Washington
and the men who in the days of
Abraham Lincoln wore the blue under
Grant and the gray under Lee.
II very earnestly hope that he will
act promptly. The proper time for
del:beration was prior to sending the
message that our government would
hold Germany to strict accounta-
b:lity' if it did the things which it has
now actually done.
"The $50 babies drowned on the
Ldsitania, the hundreds of women
drowned with them-scores of these
women and children Americans-and
the American ship, the Gulfiight, which
vas torpedoed, offer an eloquent COM
mentary on the actual working Of the
theory that it Is not necessary to as
scrt rights and that policy Of blood
and iron can with efficacy be met with
Il policy of blood and water.
81 see it stated in the dispatches
from Washington that Germany now
offers to stop the practice of murder
on the high seas committed in viola
ton Of the neutral rights she is
| pledged to preserve, If we will now
abandon further neutral rights, which
by her treaty she has solemnly plcdg-
cd to see that we exercise without
molest alton.
Such proposal Is no. even cnti-
tlad to an answer. The r1lrufacture
AID Shipment Of arms AMI ammlni-
ton ~ anv belligcrenl i. moral or i'm
moral, according to the use to which
the arms and munitions are to be put
II they are TO be used to prevent tie
rc,'',:s Of hideous w.,'ags intlnt."l On
Belgium, then it is immoral to ship
them. If they are to be used for the
redress Of those wrongs and the res
toration of Belgium to her deeply
wronged and unoffending people, then
f. Is eminently moral to send them.
Without "a hours delay this coun-
try should and could take effective
action bw declaring that in view of
Gcrmany's murderous offenses against
the rights of neutrals all commerce
with Germany shall be forthwith for
biddcn and all commerce OF every
KIND permitted and encouraged with
France, England and the rest Of the
civilized world.
"Ths would not be Il declaration OF
war. 1t would merely prevent muni-
tiOns Of war being sent to a power
which by its conduct has shown will
!ingncss to use munitions for the
slaughter Of offending men, women
and children.
81 do not believe that the firm as
scrtion of our rights means war, but
ii is we'll to remember there are
things worse than war.
Let us as nation understand that
peace is worthy only when 1t Is the
handmaidcn Of international right
consness and Of national self-rc
srcct."