The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-14
Ned Brace and Neutrality

To the Editor of The Age-Herald.
 It was quite refreshing to read your editorial in Ned Braces corner, Sundays S edition of The Age-Herald. with regard to the German note. At a time when white-hot, unreasoning passion Is finding an outlet in other journals, even in our city, it is indeed good to find one editor who can calmly view the situation in its proper light, and give credit where 1t is so plainly due.
 We should not forget that we are Americans, not subjects of Great Britain, and have no right to champion their side of the question, and utterly Ignore another nations plainly evident good. intentions as quite a number are doing.
 Great Britain has committed a series of fragrant violations of neutrality laws. with little or nothing said or done about 1t, but we are disposed to hold Germany to a strict accountability for everything, even for the unavoidable accidents or incidents that are liable to occur in any war, when those who are neutral tor supposed to bel insist on getting in the way. Tom Heflin has pointed out breach of neutrality upon England's part affecting S0,0o0,0o0 southern farmers seriously and so far there is little disposition to do any
 
 ourselves to the faults of Great Britain purposely, while we are ready to criticize harshly every move Germany makes, and thus lending moral support to the allies. This is not in any sense neutral The American people as a rule are deep thinking people, who believe in square deal. and this major element will not be drawn into this horrible European vortex of war because of the clamor of the minor or lingo element
 There's a req son. and we do not have to go far to find 1t.
 An order for s750,Oo0 o0ooo worth of war supplies from England furnishes the an swer. We blind ourselves to truth and human feeling for the sake of English gold. Shame on us, and our hypocrtical prayers for peace.
 England did not hesitate to buy Italy with s1,0O0 900, GOO in gold, and cause her to violate a treaty of 30 years standing Is 1t possible that the same thing is being worked over here? It looks that way
 We may have a legal right to sell mu- nitions to those warning countries, but most assuredly we have no divine or moral right, and all right thinking people concede that we should be governed by the latter in preference to the former for humanitarian reasons.
 Germany, with her back to the wall is fighting with a desperation anu patriotism
 
 fearful odds, and already her fingers are tightening around England's throat, and in her extremity and with her usual craft mess she is endeavoring to draw others into the conflict to save herself. Have we fallen so low in the scale of humanity as to listen greedly to the clink of English gold and turn a deaf ear to the square, manly, heroic people who have not tried to involve us, and who ask nothing of us. save to keep out of the way of danger?
 am a thoroughbred American and southerner. no hyphen in my name or blood, but do not desire to see our high ideals of manhood shattered for the sake of a grasping, inhumane greed that pre- fers furnishing war material for money instead of bending our energies toward cutting off those supplies and thus end- ing the awful struggle.
 R. F. LACKEY. Birming ha m JuIy 1Q15