The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-23
THE EMBARGO QUESTION.
The Attitude Of Henry Ford. Major
John BIgelow and Others.

10 THE EDITOR OF The SCS-Su: In
opinion OF these eminent American.
should arr great weight. because they
cannot be accused OF the crime Of be.
ing '~'hyphenated citizens" or what IL
considered the still greater crime OF
ha wing German blood.
I, does o matter how loyal an Amer.
lean one may be, II Is enough TO bear a
German name or express sympathy with
the great German nation In this war,
and look and behold. such an unfor.
tunate person Is promptly called tn.
harshest Of names. His opinions are no;
wanted. his motive Is said to be un.
American. he Is looked upon as a semi
traitor and a propaganda Of sedition.
So the press will have ii.
He is a lucky person II our pro-
British press will consent to publish his
written protest OF a defensive nature.
Most OF them are returned with the
thanks Of the editor.
1t Is therefore pleasing to see the
stand OF such men as Mr.. Ford and
Mr.. Bigelow. They are surely al; WOO.
Americans and a yard wide. There IL no
faint OF German blood in their veine.
Read what Henry Ford thinks OF the
American trafic in the implements OF
death:
I cannot engage In the manufacture and
SAFE Of arms to warning Europe because
OF quslms OF conscience have refused
tn. opportunity to make missions gu; Of
tht. trade.
The plain inference Ia that this bust
ness Is a SIN against mankind and an
offence against humanity in general.
IL puts the blight OF sham and ny
pocrisy on our much Wanted plea OF
humanity. We stand convicted OF the
sin OF the Pharlsee and the ''holier han
thou" attitude. Our notes OF protest to
Germany were based on the welfare OF
humanity when our fingers were dripping
with the blood money that Europe PAID
US for our tools OF death.
We have been blind to our moral tur-
p'tude and sin against the divine law
which says. Thou shalt not kill"
The ONLY little cover OF decency and
~eStenuation for this unholy trafrc Is
the fact that Il Is permitted under a
mercensry statute OF greed called inter-
national law.
Not a single American paper has at
tempted TO Justify this trade under
moral or humane ethics. h Is highly
slgntfcsnt' Humanity. morahty and
the love o, fellow creatures demand an
NAlAbhA ~ VII NlINF
II Henry Ford has a conscience u
will surely not harm America to awaken
to its nobler Instincts. President WI
son has said. "A nation may have a
conscience He has also stated. I'VE
should be neutral in word. thought and
spirit" The stand Of the President who
now defends the trade In arms and SAYS
ut would he unneutral TO place an I'm
largo on arms is, to say the least.
the very summit Of moons stency.
He Is moi as alert TO the call Of con-
science and the agonizing cry OF suffer
Ing humanity as is the soul OF a Henry
Ford.
Ford wants no money tainted with the
life blood OF fellow men and cursed with
the agony Of bereft women and the tears
OF fstherless children.
HIS factories will no, produce. even
at 100 per cent. profit, the dead and the
MANNED OF Europe's fields OF slaughter.
Any and all defence OF the American
trade IN arms rests on one poor foun-
dalton OF sand II Ia the specious sub
terfuge OF its permission under .nterna-
tional law.
Blackstone. the father OF English law,
has said. II a man does all the law
allows he is a s~coundrel.' You can
most easily apply mis- saying to the trade
in c~ontraband
Major John Bigelow's able and learned
reasons given IN support OF the en-
largo question are ~uranswerable facts.
They canno be refuted. Professor Can
hled's attempts to assail the logic OF
Major Bi=elow's facts have been shat
tered against the rock OF truth.
our German Policy written by W.
W. Wh.telock. Pm. u. which appeared
in The SUN OF August 10. is another
strong presentation Of truth and fair
play. This American extends justice
TO the much slandered German nation.
He convic,s President Wilson Of incon-
sistencv in his attitude to Germany. He
calls our conduct pigheaded and partial
and a step in the rection OF wal with
Germany.
II is to the credit OF America that
such men as Henry Ford. Major John
Bigeiow, President Garfield OF Williams
College. Senator Beveridge. John Stod-
dard. Irwin Cobb and W W. Whitelock
have found their conscience and the
great moral courage to speak for eternal
truth.
In a sea OF ~vindictlve malice. hatred
and misrepresentation these men sh NJ
like the bright sun over a foul. stagnart
morass OF blind hatred and limitless
abuse OF all things German or OF Ger
man origin.
| beg leave to point out r specimen
OF sucn Wanton attack written by
"Ammi wright and given a place OF
honor in II SIN OF August IS. Il is
entitled the German Vote
II Is conceived in tho spirit NJ mis-
representation and obvious ~ will. 1t
Is a masterpiece In the domain Of abuse
and scolding, and finally the author
avails himself ~ a nom do plume.
This gentleman evidently wishes IN
hide his name. and he has good reasons
for go doing In later days when cold
reason has replaced vindictive attack
such writer's will he ashamed Of such
Incorporate works.
These articles accomplish no good. but
they do transplant all tho hateful pas
sions Of war craZed Europe to the
blessed acres ~ our own precious Amer
lea, This seems to he the open season
for the batting 81 americans of German
birth or extraction. No matter how
loyal We may he tho game goes or.
II Is a ssd commentary on our much
vaunted spirit of fair play.
CHARLEs A. GEHRiE.
T. ORANGE. y, D., August 81.