TaÌˆgliches Cincinnatier volksblatt. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1885-1919, 1915-02-26
WHAT AN AMERICAN OFFICER
AND WAR CORRESPONDENT
HAS TO SAY ABOUT THE
WAR.

1
Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Emereon
gave an illustrated lecture In Berlin
on December llth 1914, under the aus
piees Of the Amerika Jnstitut and the
German American Trade Association
at which the American Ambassador, the
American Consul General and the lar
ger part of the American Colony In
Berlin, as well as many representative.
Of the financial, commercial and social
life of that city were present. Apart
from his explanations Of the phot.
ographic war.scenes exhibited, Colonel
Emerson made the following statsm.
ents: MY presence at the front was
entirely Of neutral character. / am
here on leave OF absence, and therefore
the American government has no official
interest whatever in my doiLgs. A.
war correspondent from neutral coun-
try, could observe more freely and
draw more unbiased conclusions. than
would have been possible perhaps, II
1 had occupied an official position.
This leads me to speak OF the question
Of neutrality. We have heard the word
neutrality very often in the last few
months, England is even said to have
declared war against Germany only on
on account OF the violation Of Belgian
neutrality, for Engand's self-appointed
mission has ever been the protection
Of smaller peoples One csnnot help
wondering what the Beers, tie Persians
and the Greek inhabitants OF the little
Island OF Cyprus, recently annexed by
England, must think OF this. Speak.
ing Of neutrality, we Americans who
krow the history OF our country, can't
h.p recalling bitterly how England
broke all principles Of neutrality during
the black days OF our civil war, when
with her hclp there were built, armed
and sent ont against us such form.
idable Corssirs as the Alabama, which
succeeded in almost wiping out all our
American shipping. thus fulfilling one
OF England's heart desires. But why 20
so far back to look for instances Of
England's Observance OF neutrality, We
have our own times and experiences
TO go by. The first war event that
can remember as little boy was the
bombardment Of Alexandria by tho
British That was the time when the
British, to the cry Of bravo, Condor.
first moved into neutral Egypt, where
they have since remained. Do you call
that regard for neutrality Most Of
you probably remember the time when
DR.. Jameson with several hundred
armed Engiishmen made his famous
raid into the neutral Boer republic.
When the German Emperor in friend.
ly telegram to President Kruger in
timated what he thought OF this
breach Of neutrality, England got so
aroused that she mobilized and made
a naval demonstration against Germany.
DIR. Jameson since then has been rewar.
ded By knigbthood and other official
British honors. Do you call that
regard for neutralityf 1t is the same
with Japan, now the ally of England.
As correspondent ! went through the
kussisn.Japanese war. was there,
when the Japanese without any kind
of declaration Of war invaded the
neutral Corea, marched through II.
and fought out the war in the neutral
Manchuria, where the rest OF the
great Russian.Japanese war was fought
out, always on neutral soil. never
beard then Of England raising ono word
Of protest against her ally's breaches
Of Chinese neutrality; on the contrary
she supported them as she las likewise
lately done in the case OF Shantung.
since the fall Of Tsingtau. The truth
is that England does not caro- a fig
about any principles Of neutrality
whenever her own interests are concern.
ed. After all neutrality is mere in.
ternational Convention. What did we
Americans care about the neutrality OF
Mexico when we occupied Veraeyuz,
or Of Nicaragua when we occupied that
country, or of Columbia when we took
the Panama canal zo,Al just so Ger.
many could not bother about technical
observanees Of neutrality, either in
Luxembourg or in Belgium. wAen the
fate Of the German nation was at stake.
1t was case Of national self.
preservation. and Germany in this
supreme hour Of need simply did what
her own best interest demanded at the
moment. II Germany aets in this way.
the papers term Il a breach Of neutral.
ity, II England does 1t. il is called "falr
play. When was In Belgium short
time ago. | became fully persuaded
from my own observation, that the So
called neutrality Of Belgium towards
Germany was nothing but q lying-in-
wait hostility. From military poiat
Of view Germany had no choice when
threatened with an attack East and