Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-06-12

able to export it. It is unfortunate
that partisan supporters of Germany
should have overlooked the legal re-
quirements of the situation and have
thus misunderstood the position of the
administration.
The administrators position has
not only been perfectly neutral, but
1t could not have been otherwise with
out a palpable and Intentional Vio-
lation of the rules governing neu-
trality. This government is not at lib
erty to materially change the rules OF
international law during the wal be-
cause every change suggested is dis
cussed, not upon it's merits as an alb
stract proposition, but according to the
effect it will have upon h contest.
Those who wanted to lay an embargo
upon the shipments of arms defended
their position on the ground that it
would hasten peace, but 1t is strange
that they could have overlooked the
fact that the only way in which such
action on our part could hasten peace
would have been by helping one side
to overcome the other.
while the attacks made upon the
President by the extremists of both
sides were very unjust, it was equally
unjust to suspect the patriotism \of
those who took sides. | feel well
enough acquainted with the European
born Americans to believe that in a
war between this country and any
European power the naturalized citi-
Zens from hat country would be as
quick to enlist as native-born citizens.
Trusts German-Americans
A / am now speaking to German
Americans | am glad to repeat in pub
lie what | have often said in private,
and would have said in public before
but for the fact that it would not have
/ hnan nrnnnr fnr >nn - aNr AHiain1
position to do so-namely, that in case
of war between the United States and
GermanY-f so improbable a suppo-
sition car be considered-German-
Americans would he as prompt to en-
list and as faithful to the flag as any
other portion of our people. What I
have said in regard to the German
! Americans is an introduction to an
appeal which 1 feel it my duty to
make to them.
"First-If any of them have ever in
a moment of passion or excitement
suspected the President of lack of neu-
trality or lack of friendship toward
forgotten, never again to be recalled.
81 have, since my resignation. re-
ceived numerous kilograms from Ger
man-Americans and German-American
societies commencing my action; I
think the senders of these kilograms
uil'lCl oldllu lily DOSlllOIl, Dul lndI no
one may mistake 1t. let me restate It.
The President is not only DESTROYS Of
peace, but he hopes for it, and he has
adopted the methods which he thinks
most likely to contribute toward peace.
My difference from him is as to
method, not as to purpose, and my
utterances since r~esigning have been
intended to crystalline public sentiment
in support of his efforts to maintain
peace or, to use a familiar phrase,
Peace with honor
But remember that when I use
the phrase peace with honor I do not
use 1t in the same sense that those do
who regard every opponent of war as
favoring peace at any price. Peace
at any price is an epithet, not a true
statement of anyone's position or of
, the policy of any group. The word
are employed by jingoes as an express
sion of contempt and are applied indis-
~criminately to all who have faith in
the nations ability to find a peaceful
way out of every difficulty so long as
both nations want peace.
The alarmists of the country have
had control of the metropolitan press
and they have loudly proclaimed that
the prolongation of negotiations or the
suggestion Of international interven-
ton would be sign of weakness-and
everything is weakness that does not
contain a hint of war. The lingo sees
in the rainbow of promise only one
color-red
MISUNDERSTANDING that the Presi-
dent desires peace, 1t Is your duty to
help him secure 1t, and how? BY ex-
erting your influence to convince the
German government of this fact and to
persuade that government to take no
steps that would lead in the direction
of war. My fear has been hat the
German government might, despairing
of a friendly settlement, break off
diplomatic relations. and thus create
a condition out of which wal might
come without the intention of either
country.
Be Fair to President
81 do not ask you to minimize the
earnestness of the Presidents state
ment-that would be unfair, both to
him and Germany. The sinking of the
Lusitania cannot be defended unon the
facts as we understand them. The
killing of innocent women and chill
dren cannot he justified, whether the
killing is by drowning or starving; no
nation can successfully plead the in
humanity of her enemies as an excuse
for inhumanity IN her own part.
while it is true that cruelty is apt
to beget cruelty, ii canno be said tina
like cures like Even in war we are
not absolved from the obligation to
remedy evils by the influence of a good
example. Let your lights so shine Is
a precept that knows no times nor sea-
sons. as it knows neither latitude nor
longitude.
"Third-Do not attempt to connect
the negotiations which are going on
between the United States and Ger
! many with those between the United