Evening star., 1915-02-22
No Occasion for War Talk.

Representative Oldf1eld of Arkansas.
in the leadership councils of the demo-
Gratis of the House, voiced the expressions
of several conservative colleagues when
he said:
"The incident should certainly not
1t affords no justification for such dis
cussion.
I'VE must remember that there are
too ma many , who you'd you'd be be-. gratified to to
slightest occasion to be drawn into
hostilities."
The more neutral ships sunk in the
war zone" said Representative Albert
this war will end. person who de-
plores this frightful wholesale destruc-
tion of lives and property on the other
side would almost be glad to see any
means adopted to bring pressure on
the belligerents to stop the hostilities.
When l think of the consequences and
the slaughter and the millions of peo-
pie who are going to be starved and
broken / could almost hope that more
ships should be sunk in the war zone,
because / believe that would be the
quickest way to bring before the world
the realization that the world must
stop this thing.
"The lives of the crews are sacrificed,
"a QeplOTdDl6 tnlHSp Dul the lives Oh
millions of combatants and non-com-
batants alike are going to be sacrificed
unless some one stops the war"
Accident, Pure and Simple.
Representative Flood of Virginia,
chairman of the House committee on
appropriations, said:
THE sinking of the Evelyn is nothing
for the country to get excited over.
The steamer was aware of the mines In
that quarter and took it's own chance.
1T was an accident pure and simple
Shippers knew those waters are mined.
and if a vessel is deliberately sent
there the owners must take conse-
quences."
Similar expression of opinion came
from Representative Esch of Wiscon-
sin:
"As the German proclamation said.
A mine cannot distinguish between
neutral and hostile vessels If the
Evelyn. was torpedoed 1t might become
a grave matter between this country
and the country whose ship fired the
missile, but all accounts agree that the
Evelyn was sunk by a mine. 1t ap-
pears to me on the facts as l read them
that the Evelyn took the risks of war
and should not involve this country"
IF the Evelyn struck a mine it is the
vessels own fault" said Representative
Page of North Carolina, 'and it would
appear that it was mine and not a
torpedo that did the work I do not
see how this matter. regrettable as IL
is. can involve the United States. The
steamer knew the waters were danger
Gus, and took it's own risk"
No Cause for Excitement.
Representative Adamson. chairman OF
the House committee on interstate and
foreign commerce. said:
1.-The Evelyn case involves nothing
that should cause any public excite
ment in this country. We all have con-
Hdence in the conservatism of the
President"
Representative Vollmer of Iowa said
The whole situation Is fraught with
danger. 1t cannot be charged that
Germany. which wanted cotton. was
responsible for the deliberate destruc-
tion of the Evelyn, loaded with that
commodity"
Representative Foster of Illinois said
The Evelyn's sinking was an unavoid-
able accident; the American public
should reserve judgment until all facts
are known"
Representative Henry of Texas ex-
pressed an idea that Is growing in IA
vor in the House: He said: II have
been wondering II 1t would not be a
good idea to keep our ships away from
that part of the world"