Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1915-09-10
Children Cry
FOR FlETCHER'S
9 a s Q RIA
Just How We Stand.


Sir, when we hear from every sid,
from all the newspapers. peace so
cieties, and even from such an author
lty. as the Chief Justice. that we hav,
gained the greatest diplomatic sue
cess OF this generation, it is at least
prudent that we pause in our jubila
tlon, size up the situation, and in the
technique OF the Western Front. con,
solidate the trenches we have won.
1t seems to be an accepted fact
that Berlin has disavowed the action
of its agent in the sinking of the
Arabic and the consequent murder OF
American citizens, which must imply
their infection of such punishment or
the agent as international custom
prescribes for piracy and murder on
the high seas, and Il pledge to Wash
ington direct, or to our ambassador
at Berlin, that the "power of the
Empire" will be used to that end.
What Mr.. Wilson declared would be
Il deliberately unfricndy act" has
been perpetrated under conditions that
invest 1T with the distinct clements
OF elaboration, aggravation and fero-
city of malicious design, and for this
aifront, unparalleled in recent his
tory, we have so far only an an
nouncement that thereafter" similar
attacks on unarmed merchant vessels
Will not be repeated unless such YES
sells attempt to escape, etc.
Had the Imperial Government of
Germany promptly communicated to
our ambassador" ut Berlin it's dis
avowal of the act of its agent"
coupled with an undertaking to in
iilct adequate" punishment "then"
we might have celebrated a diploma
tic victory and the Washington Gov
crnment, always humane, might have
expressed its Willingness to rest "con-
tent with this published degradation
of the culprit.
When an American citizen was
killed in mob-ruled Mexico and the
President demanded the punishment
of the guilty party, his demand was
promptly met, and that adventurous
American had no stronger claim on
his country than had his fellows who
persisted by hundreds on the high seas
of the nations by reason of Il savage
policy of determination inaugurated
by a so-callcd civilized government.
And for all these lives our only
definite satisfaction is the "promise''
that it shall not happen again. under
the same conditions, and that our lost
citizens will be paid for at such val
uation as shall be assessed" bv q
tribunal which Germany herself has
made the laughing-b butt of the ma
tons.
Nothing could better accord with
that nations unique system of diplo-
macy (Which Bismarck "forctold"
would be the ruin of the Empirc) than
this appeal to the ghost of the Hague
Trlbuna whose only valid DEGREES it
has declared to be scraps of paper.
and which only holds its place in the
minds of men by what it has failed to
accomplish, and the whimsical reflec-
ton that the Peace Palace is only now
a roost for the bats and owls of the
Netherlands.
Hence any promise" conditioned ON
the intervention of this Moot Court
OF the Nations. now adjourned. with
ont day, challenges credulitv. and
mocks at good faith. when it cme-
mates from the same chancellorv
which with Il stupidity more astonish-
ing than its breach of international
loyalty prevented the Abropation of
the doctrine of Contraband. in the
Declaration of London.
n mixed commission, however. can
supercede the functioN of this out
worn and discredited tribunal and set
tle more questions of indemnity in IA
gay IMAM nave ever received the O.
II. OF Il court without power to en-
force Its DEGREES" To such Il tribunal
We must look for the sort of 'repara-
llon we are promised and let us
trust that to that extent" the COM
pensation will be ample.
Then it only remains for the I'M
penal Government of Germany to as
su@Gc our just resentment by an
adequate disavowal" and we can set
tie down to the undisturbed enioy-
ment of that safety and security
which we may call the hard-won heri
tage OF brave people, who, discard
ing the ruder methods of our ances-
tors, have found in the devious wavs
and pleasing platitudes of diplomacy
method of redress unknown to their
untutored philosophy.
But if we should too soon settle
down to this attitude of "assuaped
resentment" and let Germany know
how grecdily we have accepted vague
promises, and inieterminate express
SONS Oh regret, for the incident of the
Arabic, a thousand times more afro
clous than the Lusitania holocaust.
then, indeed, may our accumulated
wrongs rankle past this present time.
TO be atoncd for later on when the
irreprcssiblc conflict occurs between
that nation and the only power on
earth that can nov" postpone or
avert il.
Yours for Disavowal.