Evening journal., 1915-08-21

We do not know whether more
American lives have been lost or not.
But what difference can this make?
II the would-be murderer misses, If
his bullet goes astray, does society
less certainly incarcerate him? 1t is
not the fault of the German COM
mander that every American on the
Arabic was not drowned. All that the
assassin could do was done All that
the butcher could do to make the
chance spared Americans, II was
chance alone.
The time has come now to act. To
talk further is to encourage not avoid
murder. Il Is to compound with in
fanny and continue relation with
savagery. II is to write ourselves
down willing victims, as consenting
to the continued slaughter of Ameri-
cans.
Final evidence of the German
purpose and character has now been
furnished. Not even Germany can
give more definite proof of her will.
In her every act in the past year of
shame and slaughter the German idea
has shone forth. The sinking of the
Lusitania was but a new expression
of the purpose that lOosed the sadie
fury of the German soldier in Lou
vain and wrote the meaning Of Ger
man Kultur in the blood and honor
of the Belgian women.
II is for Congress, not for the
President to decide the question of
peace or war with Germany. But IL
is the duty of Mr.. Wilson to preserve
national honor and protect national
dignity. There is left TO him no
choice, no alternative. Count Won
Bernstorff should go. Mr.. Gerard
should come home. To hesitate, to
falter. to delay now is to bring odium
upon the United States. II is to con-
fess willingness, to permit Ameri-
cans to be slaughtered, it is to sur
render the prime right and neglect
the first duty of any state. to defend
the lives of its citizens.
All the sacrifices that the United
States can make in an honorable de-
sire to avoid war have been made
We have permitted our dead to go un-
lavenged, we have suffered still fur
ther menaces to be directed at the
living, we have listened to the soft
words by which the hypocrite tried
TO gild his savagery and cloak hi;
viciousness. But of all this there
must now be an end The murder
of another American will mean war
this attempted assassination should
terminate all relations with an out
law state. Civilization ends at tn,
German frontier. and with the mad
ness that lies beyond, the fury, the
passion, the insane desire to kill anC
and spare none, we can have no fur
ther commerce The duty Of today
is to have done with Germany, thu
duty of tomorrow may be not less
clear, but from it only towards coulC
shrink, and such C)wardice has hith
tory.
No President of the United States
in a critical hour. has ever pOssesse,
a fuller measure of public confidence
than Woodrow Wilson today. But I,
no President has the pathway of dut!
/. and honor been more plainly indi
Gated. What could be done to avoit
strife, prevent war preserve peace
| he has done; honestly nobly. Blu
b the decision was not his TO make.
! there is now war. that war has bee
made in Germany But not even tn
certainty of war could excuse fur
} ther negotiations with the Germal
government Ultimately the individ
, ual, the state. the nation can hav
but one protection against the assas
sin. And in the crime of the Arab
the last thin disguise has Slipped
from the German beast. and we Sc
? the fact as 1t is-but We see it un
lafraid