New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1915-05-12
Are We Accountable?

Are We Accountoble9
While a feeling of deep sorrow must
SHevail in the hearts of all humanity
over the loss of life among the nom
eembnats aboard the Lusitania, now is
no time to let feelings either of approval
or OF condemnation sway the reason.
There is justification for the act as a
measure of a desperate nation fighting
as it, believes for it's very life. There
IS also justification for strong anger
among the friends of those who have
been thus suddenly deprived of life.
That. is, there is justification for these
things if there is the slightest JUS
LITIGATION for the war at all. But here
in this country is to be settled the ques-
zion what are ne to do about it? Many
there will be who will want to see this
nation dragged into the vortex of war.
A feeling of revenge will dominate
them. mad desire to hurt as we have
been hurt. But what will this avail?
Nothing, absolutely nothing, but to
make. nsore wounds, more aching hearts
and! Hesolate homes. Let us not think
OF revenge in this moment but rather
Of measures that will tend to prevent
ID repetition and a continuation of such
desperate acts.
We must consider first the causes
leading to the act. 1t is quite easy
Co explain it, tho difficult to excuse
IT, Germany, no doubt has technical
right to destroy vessel carrying con-
traband of war to her enemies. In
zines of war a technical right is all
chat is required to extenuate an act,
no matter how terrible it may be.
The moral aspect is forgotten among
the combatants and if the United States
is to become an active party in the
quarrel of the nations it is necessary
chat the act be viewed from all legal
angles, from the standpoint of Germany
rs we'll as that of England.
But we must not stop there even tho
one nation more than the other. The
5ime has surely come for us to do some
ching to put an end to the slaughter
Of thousands of our fellow-creatures.
We.nust go to the bottom of the matter
and see if we have not been at fault in
nesping to prolong this terrible struggle.
an ;o1o fol %ha
Christian. Herald answers this question
IN eney way. We believe strongly that
this snation is most guilty in permitting
Che shipment of the munitions of war to
che. belligerants but we are equally
guilty in permitting shipments of food
and other necessities of life to any of
the warning countries. 1t may mean
loss of some material gain for few
months to call halt to our commerce
with the European countries but if we,
the great depot of supplies for these
countries, were to shut our doors abso-
autely to them and force them to ''Be
good or starve, it would not be very
AklEAS UclOIc CIlcy WOOlO NC SCChlllS CCIlIlS
of peace This being the admitted
sact, are we not morally responsible
abr the loss of life that so horrifes the
world?
stLast Christmas time, over in Saxony
nj large manufacturing town there
were many desolate homes of poor
families in which the children could
not hope for their usual modest joys
under the Christmas tree. Then came
che news that America had sent large
ship with Christmas toys and gifts
TO Europe, and that share of them
would come to the town to which the
WAL had brought so much sadness and
1nouraing. The citizens discussed it
in a, long session and finally decided
by unanimous vote that no gift from
the Americans could be accepted fol-
their. dear little ones. They would
feel deeply ashamed to accept presents
for the children of town from people
who at the same time send weapons
and ammunition by which their fathers
are killed and manned.
t'Those supplemented men of the
factories in Saxony spoke aloud the
words which expressed the silent feel.
ing. of all Germany. America has
given up, they feel, the role of the warm
hearted neutral, whose kindly acts