The Washington herald., 1915-12-26


Which do we. as Americans. value
most, our children or our property?
Which do we regard the most heinous
onense. the detention of our cotton
or the murder of our wives and chill
dren on the high seas? Some Amer
leans. we think a very small propor-
tion. excepting those of Teutonic pro-
clivities. or anti English sympathies.
are more inclined to call Great Britain
to immediate account for disturbing
our commerce than to prevent a re-
pitition Of the Lusitania and Acona
tragedies. By their deeds, II not their
words. they regard the interference
with our traffic a greater crime than
the wanton murder of our women
and children.
Compare the two ofrenses. The
one is a disturbance of our ocean
traffic to be compensated for by
money. a proper subject for the con-
sideration of The Hague Tribunal.
tragedy perpetrated by inhuman ac-
tors in an inhuman manner. Com
pare the transactions. A British
cruiser stops the merchant ship of a
neutral nation suspected Of carrying
contraband goods to the enemy. with
whom she is engaged in a life and
death struggle The cargo is de-
tained until the decision OF q prize
court as to whether the suspicious
Of hers captors were correct. What
ever disposition is made Of the cargo
the captor is liable for damages IL in
justice be done. II the captured ship
was violating the laws of war. of
course no reparation will be made:
II not, then Great Britain would be
liable for damages as when $15.500. 900
was awarded against her on the Ana
bama claims by the Geneva tribunal
which she promptly paid with a draft
for that amount.
The German submarine does not de-
tain the passenger ship but. then and
there. sinks her with all on board
The loss is not beef or cotton; il is
human lives. the lives Of noncom-
batants. the lives Of defense1ess women
and children. We see the terrible
scene of flame and fire and dire de-
struction. The submarine finishes its
dastardly work and sails away
Mothers stand on the deck of the sink
ing ship frantic with terror, not for
themselves. but for the helpless babes
to their breasts. The brief
period of anguish is ended; the cries
are stilled. all is over. and the sur
face OF the sea is dotted with the
pallid faces OF the dead. Two hun
ureo american oeao, women and chill
dren. slaughtered in cold blood by
ferocious marauders who AID to their
iniquity by justifying thei1 barbarity
and insisting upon their right to re-
peat II.
II seems a monstrous proposition to
the deeds of the respective
governments. British hands are clean
from the blood OF our people. Neither
Great Britain or her allies would mur-
der noncombatants in cold blood To
measure out money against blood.
cotton and beef against life. to call
Great Britain to account for taking
beef. and in the meantime. permit
Germany or her puppet to repeat the
Lusitania Tragedy is infamous. As
said by Senator Lodge one slaughter
ed infant is worth more than all the |
rargoes OF all the ships that have |
been held up during the war Any |
nan who has the heart to look upon |
hat little dead baby floating on the
water and weigh 1t against cotton and |
beef and find the former most valuable |
and insisting that loss Of property ]
shall be redressed before loss of hu- !
man life and that the life of a little !
child. has himself been weighed and |
found wanting and is unworthy the !
name Of an American citizen.
W. A. FOSTER.