The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-06-12

5Wi1OS0 DaETlOl1SI1 440 A4e1S ~ihNAA confidence It is natural that in a contest between your Fath- 2 erIahd and other European na- lions your sympathies should be with the country of your birth. It is no cause for censure that this is true It would be a re- fiection upon you. if it were not true. Do not the sons of Great Britain sympathize with their mother. country? Do not the sons of France sympathize with E theirs? Is not the same true or Russia. and of Italy? Why should it not be true of those who are born in Germany or Austria2 The trouble is that the extremists on both sides have mistaken natural attachment felt for birthplace for disloyalty
 The President has been un- justly criticised by the partisafas of both sides-the very best evil dence of his neutrality. If he had so conducted the govern rnent as to wholly please either side it would excite not only as tonishment. hut nisgivings, for partisans cannot give. an unbiased z Judgment: they will of necessity look at the question from their own point of view giving praise or blame, according as the act, regardless of it's real character, helps or hurts the side with which they have aligned them selves
 Advantage of the Allies
 The fact that the Administration hasNreeeived more criticism from German Americans than from those in sympathy with the Allies is due to the fact that. while both sides are at liberty under International law to purchase a.rnrnunition in the United States, the Allies, because of their con trol of the seas, have the ad- vantage of being able to export It,
 It is unfortunate that partisan supporters of Germany should have overlooked the legal re- odirenents of the situation and have thus misunderstood the po-# sition of the Ad1ninistr ation. The Administration position has not only been perfectly neutral but 1t could not have been otherwise without palpable and tntention-k al violation of the rules govern ing neutrality.
 This government is not at lfb- erty to materially change the rules of int ernationa1 law dur ing the war, because every change suggested is discussed, not upon it's merits as an abstract proposition, but according to the effect it will have upon the con test Those who wanted to lay an embargo upon the shipments Of arms defended their position on the ground that it would hasten peace, but it 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 help ing one side to overcome the oth-
 While the attacks made upon the President by the extremists of both sides were very unjust, 1t was equally unjust to suspect the patriotism of those who took sides. [ feel well enough ac- Quainted with the European born Americans to believe that in a, war between this country and any European power the natural ized citizens from that country would be as quick to enlist as native-born citizens.
 AS I am now speaking to Ger man-Americans I am glad to re- peat in public what, have often said in private, and would have said in public before but for the fact that it would not have been proper for one in my official posi- ton to do so-namely, that in case of war between the United fHox ssn probable supposition can be considered = German-American would be as prompt to enlist and as faithful to the flag as any oth- CT portion of our people. What I have said in regard to German Americans is an introduction to an appeal which I feel it my duty to make to them
 First, if any of them ever in a
 moment of passion or excitement suspected the President of lack of friendship toward the German Government and the German peo- pie, let that thought be forgotten. never again to be recalled. have, since my resignation, re- cefved numerous te1egrams from German-Anerican and German American societies commenting
 my action. I think the senders of these telegrams understand my position; but that no one may mistake it let me restate it. The President is not only desirous of peace, but he hopes for it, and he has adopted the methods which he thinks most likely to contrib ute toward peace.
 My difference from him is as to method, not as to purpose, and my utterances since resigning have been intended to crystalize public sentiment in support of his efforts to maintain peace, or, to use a similar phrase, Peace with Honor But remember that when use the phrase Peace with Honor,' I do not use it in the same sense that those do who regard every opponent of war as favor ing peace at any price Peace at any price is an epithet, not true statement of any one's position or of the policy of any group. The words are. employed by Jingoes as an expression of contempt, and are applied indfscrimately to all woh have faith in the nations ability to find a peaceful way out of every difficulty, so long as both nations want peace.
 The a1armists of the country have had control of the n1etropo- 1itan press and they have loudlys