New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-29
FOR SWEET HUMANITY.
The Contrast in Shipments of War
Munitions and Christmas Gifts.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: When an English ship, loaded with
tons and tons of war material and a compare
lively few foohardy Americans (who, by the
way, should never have been permitted to be
there, it being a violation of the United
States laws TO allow passengers ship
filed with explosives) went down, a great
hue and cry went up from the newspapers
supposed 10 reflect public sentiment It was
taken up by some worthy though exctable
and unduy oficous individuals. who lost
many good nights sleep and many a
savory meal worrying about how we could
protect our sacred rights, l. e., in this
case, the safe delivery of murder implements,
aud avenge the unfortunate and unwise
Americans who used an English ammunition
transport when plenty of perfectly sea-
worthy neutral ships were available. Some
even went so far as TO write stirring poems
about murder by the Kaiser, etc, etc, and
a few lusty-lunged, clamorous zealots so far
cverstepped the bounds of discretion as to
shout for war. undoubtedly in no wise know
ing wha. they were yelling for.
Our government sent several very strong
certain terms, that the presence of one lone,
solitary American citizen (hyphenated or mott
on a semi-waTship must guarantee the i'm
munity of its cargo of destruction and death,
and, incidentally, the valuable life of the
American who would ride on a keg of ex-
plosives either voluntarily or for money.
Thus did our all-wise President conclusively
show that there could be no triAing with
Uncle SAM so Indignantly jealous Of his
rights, which must always and forever be
held inviolate (by Germany. The keynote of
these perfect and precise notes was humanity.
Cyncs may laugh, but we are serious, in
our blindness.
When the neutral steamship companies,
goaded 70 impotence and disgust by the I'M
precedented arrogance and high-handed brig
andage of the English, refused, partly from
fear and partly from disinclnation, to ac-
cept parcels for Germany and Australia Hun
gary-parcels bearing gifts of love, to bring
happiness, to alleviate misery, TO tighten the
suffering attending the horrors of war and to
remind the sorely tried people of the Cen
trail Powers that their dear relatives and
friends in America have not ceased to think
Of them and 10 hope for them and 10 pray
FOR them-what did our representative and
custodian of Uncle Sans sacred rights do q?
lie tamely and meekly submitted; he weakly
cowed before this manifestation of British
brutality and audacity; he recoiled before the
lowering frown Of the suave and willy John
Bull. He had posted in all the postoffices
in the land the shame of America, the yield
ing of our sovereign rights to the autocratc
and tyrannical ruler Of the seas. All upon
the high ground of super-humanity as in
terpreted by our scholarly Chief Executive.
II we take boat and sail down the Hudson
River what do we find? II is twilight. The
sun has set. and one by one the windows of
the tall skyscrapers light up. The scene is
one OF serene quietness But what feverish
activity is there on the water. Titanic freight
steamers are being loaded, amid the roar
of cranes and machinery loaded with war
material for the Allies, the enemies of Ger
many and Austra-Hungary. The twilight
fades and night draws its curtain over the
scene. And yet the tumultuous excitement
does not ceasel Ii continues all through the
night; never tagging, never ending. Day
after day overloaded ammunition ships har-
bingers Of slaughter and bearers of death
and mutilation for the flower of the virile
manhood of the friendly Germanic powers.
leave our neutral shores. All with the Off
cial sanction of the standard bearer of hu-
mainly.
Another picture. Proud neutral steamers
tug impatiently at their hawsers. They too.
ore being laden-laden with parcels bearing
the spirit OF Christmas. the spirit of good
will toward men, TO friends in foreign lands.
But none are for Germany or for Austria
Hungary. Our government is too much CON
cened about humanity to permit parcels to
be sent there in defiance OF the wishes Tor is
it commands?) of our dictatorial mother
country"
Truly this is sight TO make angels weep.
The wherewithal TO murder is inviolabls and