Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-20
ARABIC DEED DELIBERATELY UNFR1ENDLY, -
IT IS TIME TO ACT, NEWSPAPERS DECLARE

Several of the editors of great news.
papers Of the United States this morn
ing characterize the torpedoing of the
Arabic as ..the answer" of the German
government to the note of the United
States government of July Fl, in whlch
the United States declared that the rep
etition Of the Lusitania tragedy win
loss of American lives would be re-
sarded as a deliberately unfriendly'
act. Another describes the torpedoing
of the Arabic as deliberately unfriend-'
ly." another discusses the subject as
"the murder OF the Arabic"
Extracts from leading editorials this
morning are as follows:
The Baltimore Sun:
Is This Germany's Answer?
Until the facts concerning the sink
ing of the Arabic by German sub
marine are more definitely known it Is
perhaps useless to discuss what effect
this latest undersea exploit may nave
on our relations with Germany.
II. as is reported in last night
cables. the White Star liner. with many
passengers aboard, including Ameri-
cans, and bound westward and there
Gore empty of contraband, was torpe-
doed without warning. such an act
would be fragrant a violation OF all
international law as would strain the
patience of America very near to, II
not beyond. the breaking point. 1T
would be especially dangerous If there
happened to be any Americans among
the murdered
Perhaps Germany. elated with its re-
cent victories over the Russians. has
decided to reply to President Wilson
last note in this decisive way
The New York sun:
The German Answer?
Facts more than adjectives are i'm
portant in considering yesterdays cul-
rinating achievement OF the Won Ilr-
pitt policy. The Arabic, American
owned but sailing under the British
flag, familiar to Americans not only as
regular liner but also as the carrier
of many parties of Americans on pleas
cure cruises to the Mediterranean ana
elsewhere, was sent to the bottom by
blow beneath the belt from German
submarine in that same region OF
frightfulness just outside the front
door of British commerce which WIZ
messed the murder OF the Lusltanla
passengers and the more recent attack
on the Orduna.
The Arabic unlike the Lusitana. was
coming westward: and by no effort OF
military sophistry could she be regard
ed as an ammunition ship
Supposing the worst-and heaven
grant that the worst be not true.-We
have Germany's answer, not IN words
warning signed by Secretary Lansing
Just thirty days ago this day.
No government worthy of the respect
of it's equals on earth could let that
definite promise go unredeemed with
out immersing itself and it's people In
indescribable humiliation. The warn
ing of month ago was not a threat of
war. 1t is not the constitutional func-
tion of the American executive to de-
clare war on a foreign nation, no mat
ter what the provocation; the power to
decree war is solely in the Congress.
But 1t is within the power of the Presi-
dent, in the failure of apology and
reparation Immediately and voluntarily
rendered, to recall it's representatives
at the capital of the deliberately I'M
friendly government, to break off all
diplomatic relations and official inter
course with that unfriendly govern
ment and to dismiss peremptorily the
representatives which that unfriendly
government has accredited to us by
handing them their passports.
This, still supposing the worst, is the
obvious and only course consonant
with the self-respect of the American
people in the present extremely crit
ical juncture. That the nations dig
nifty will be adequately maintained by
Mr. Wilson's administration, without
compromise and at any cost, that the
Congress will be called together if the
course of events requires a resort to it's
authority, can no more be doubted
than that every American citizen true
to his inherited obligations or true to
the oathbound allegiance assumed at
his own volition will support President
Wilson and the flag in the just faction
forced upon us by repeated and de-
nant outrages.