The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1915-09-02
Support the President.

N
y What this government should do with refer
ence to Germanv's IS continued conduct Of her sub
. marine campaign against British shipping must
\ be determined by President Wilson alone Nine
= tv-ninc people out of a hundred entirely ignor-
q ing partisan political considerations, will sup
4 port him in whatever policy he decides upon.
4 The situation is grave enough to cause an OBJ
liberation of faciona lines and unite all the pcO
I pie in support of man who is wise and patriotic
4 at the same time deliberate and fully realizing
the grave responsibility which rests upon his
shoulders.
There will be no war Those newspaper cdi-
d tors who declare that Germany has deliberately
insultcd the United States by her latest cX
plots against British ships carrying American
passengers are letting their fiery prejudice get
the better of their judgement. Germany does
not want with this country, and is not trying
to provoke us to that end The important thing
that the imperial government is the continu-
ancc OF submarine campaign directed against
Great Britain. In carrying it ON she is violat-
ing international law and the rights of Amcri-
cans. So is England, in stopping neutral shipp-
ing Of food supplies to the women and children
of Germany. Both violate what has hitherto
been accepted as law each arguing that the nee
cssitics in the gigantic struggle in which these
nations are engaged to the bitter end, iustiiics
actions, under modern conditions, which before
have not been recognized ms legitimate warfare.
Neither England nor Germany have respect
cd our repeated protests. We are not going to
fight either of them. We are going to wait m-
Til this horrible thing is ended, and then, as the
greatest of the neutral nations, taking II leading
part in helping to bring peace when the time
comes, we are going To use our powerful influ-
cncc to attempt to have Incorporated in the
treaty which will be finally signed, some delinatc
recognition of the principles for which we have
contcndcd for the guidance of nations in future
wars.
While both nations have ignored our protests
we will, and probably should take Il more dras-
tic action in the ease of Germany, simply be-
cause Germany'S acts have been more drastic
towards us What shall we do! Going 10 war
is out of the question. We might attempt To
send battleshp along with every neutral YES
sci that enters or leaves the "war zone Thco-
rctcally that would be Il fine way To uphold our
dignity and protect our citizens, but practically
it would he utterly foolish. We might advise
all American citizens against going into the
"&onc" ON neutral vessels, and direct that none
of our own ships sail in those waters. But
that would be backing down,and we willnot do
it.Whcthcr some such course might have been
wiser at the time the first note on the Lusitania
ease was sent is now to late To consder.Or,wc
might break off diplomatic relations with Germ
amy while she persists in her policy. This is
the wiscst course if we do anything further than
again register our protest. Whatever step is
taken by President Wilson will meet the patriot
ic support of the American people.
rhn Rntinr Rnhns Cnntnst for this Nnnl. Mhich