The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-06-12

7 reflection on you IL n were not true
Do not the sons of Great Britain sym
pathize with theirs? Is not the same
true OF Russia and Italy? Why should
~ not be true OF those who are born
In Germany OF Austria? The>SroubIe
is that the extremists on both sides
have mistaken a natural attachment
felt for birthplace for disloyalty to
this country.
The President has been unjustly
criticised by the partisans OF both
sides-the very best evidence Of his
neutrality. IL he had so conducted the
government as TO wholly please either
side II would excite not only aston
ishment but misgivings. for partisans
cannot give an unbiased judgement:
they will OF necessity look at the ques-
tion from their own point OF view.
giving praise or blame, according as
the act. regardless OF its real char
acter helps or hurts the side with
which they have aligned themselves.
Allies Have Advantage.
The fact that the administration
has received more criticism from Ger
man-Americans than from those in
sympathy with the allies is due to the
fact that. while both sides are at lib
erty. under international law, to pur-
chase ammunition in the United
States. the allies. because OF their con-
troll OF the sea, have the advantage OF
being able TO export IL. II Is unfortu-
nate that partisan supporters OF Ger
many should have overlooked the legal
requirements OF the situation and have
thus misunderstood the position OF the
administration. The administration
position has not only been perfectly
neutral. but Il could not have been
otherwise without a palpable and in
territorial violation OF the rules govern
ing neutrality. The government Is
not AZ liberty to materially change the
rules OF international law during the
war because every change suggested
is discussed. not upon its merits as an
abstract proposition. but according to
the effect II will have upon the contest
Those who wanted to lay an embargo
upon the shipment OF arms defended
their position on the ground that 1t
would hasten peace. but IL 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.
| Equal injustice.
while the attacks made upon the
President by the extremists Of both
sides were very unjust, IL 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 that country would be as
4 quick to enlist as native-born citizens
As ! am now speaking to German
Americans / am glad 20 repeat in pub
lie what l have often said in private,
and would have said in public before
but for the fact that Il would not have
been proper for one in my official po-
sition to do so-namely. that in case OF
war between the United States and
Germany-if so improbable a supposi-
tion can be considered-0erman-
Americans would be as prompt to en-
list and as faithful TO our flag a. any
other portion of our people What I
have said in regard to the German
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