The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-09-16

- IL
wAsth4y th4y are pro-this Or pho-that q no
pro st ~ win do well TO consider the ultimate
safety Il banking institutions II which their
funds are depolited that support and participate
IN this proposed British loan. Britain does not
propose to guarantees hsr loan from u with the
American securities 81 her own inventors - coli
lateral. She wants to borrow the enormous sum
Of one billion dollars from % On her mere prom
ise to pay, secured only by her dwindling chance
Of decisive victory over the Germans
Yesterday England announced her daily war
expenses - $23 OO0,0 900 day. At this rate our
billion dollars would last England just forty
three days. Then she would need more for ac-
cording to these figures her expenses are running
at the rate Of %, 895 000, 900 par annuln Judging
from her present rate Of progress against Ger
many the war viii last long enough for England
to try many times to duplicate billion dollar
loan, to become Z bankrupt nation and couse-
quently to repudiate her indebtedness.
II American banks do take this unsecured
British loan they will naturally try to work it off
on American investors. They won't hold the
sack unless they have to. II, however. American
investors this time refuse to BE- the goats and
these bonds remain on the shelves OF the banks
that floated them in the expectation OF making
hAndsouae commissions, what then OF the safety
of your deposits when these British promises to
pay on account Of reputation become worthless
aas@ta?
Do you wonder therefore, that the plain
every day American banks Of Richmond which
wear no PRO" before their names are outspoken
in thAir disapproval of this proposed unsecured
British loan?
OF course, all this indignation at the methods
and ends Of the great Britiah campaign in the
United States is futile and foolish if we are ne
longer citizens of free republic where everyone
is entitled to freedom Of conscience and liberty of
expression. If pro-Britishism undar the leader
ship of J. p. Morgan. the accredited British
agent in this country, through control Of the
press, our national financial system and even our
government, as cur state departments policy
against Germany would sometimes make one be-
i4ve, has irrevocably committed this country to
secret though not silent alliance with Britain
then we are to all intents and purposes no longer
free. We are in this case nothing more than a
British colony and Washington's exalted efforts
from 1776 to 1883 are betrayed. Cut down by
the assassin's bullat after he had preserved the
Union from the misguided efforts of many of its
own citizens, aided by British gold, to dismember
it, harassed during his superhunaan efforts by
Britain's cynical and selfish destruction of the
American merchant marine under cover of the
confederate flag, Lincoln, if J. F. Morgan is now
in reality King Georges viceroy Of the United
States, died in vain.
If Americans, however, have not lost their
pride Of free citizenship and still mindful Of
the great ideals and sacrifices that founded and
preserved our nation, they will unite to overthrow
pro-British control Of their thoughts and activi-
ties and government. This action, if accompan-
led by return to true Americanism, would also
result in the dissipation of pro-Germanisa for
that is but the counter irritant to the inflamma-
ton Of pro-Britishisn. True Americanism would
busy itself with preparing the nation for defense
against foreign foes and behind this rampant it
would expend its surplus capital on developing
legitimate industry rather than loan it for pur-
poses of devastation and inhumanity. 1t would
remember the advice of the immortal Washing
ton against entangling foreign alliances and its
regained and reunited national soul again attuned
to the ever living words of the nartyred Lincoln
at Gettysburg, would send ,Christ's message Of
love and peace to the stricken nations instead
Of Helps instruments Of degradation, torture and
death.
about not beinE young al Q used to
p. BE- Oswald looked at him in amused