Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-09
DIR. r. JOHNSTON
ON THE WAR
The Philadelphia Pastor Chides
England for Lack of Appreciation
of American Sentiment-"D Display
of Ill Temper" Regretted.

|
TNHE following letter was written by Doctor
J. Johnston, rector of the Church of the
Saviour, to the editor of the Edinburgh
Scotsman, IN which newspaper It was printed
together with an editorial reply. Doctor
Johnston himself is openly an advocate of
the Allies, and the Scotsman of course is
anti-German. The correspondence and reply,
therefore, both deal with the subject from
the viewpoint of the Allies, and are presented
here only because of their undoubted interest
TO the general public
To the Editor Of the scotsman:
Sir-The local papers today tell us Of two
| things. First we are told that "Scotsmen hiss
/ America at a meeting addressed by LORD
! Rosebery in Edinburgh, and vary their misses
with shouts OF dollars" Secondly, we are
| told Of speech in Minneapolis, by Doctor
! Dernberg ex-Secretary OF state of the German
/ Empire In It he advocates future combna-
tion between Germany and America with
view to terminating British domination of tho
seas
have received letters lately from Edinburgh,
in which impatient spirit and unwarranted
criticism of America is evident. One good cleri-
cal friend writes: Either tho States must
condemn Germany, and plainly say so, or con-
done her crimes" Where has such wholesale
condemnation been heard more than in our
midst? 1t is quite another matter to intervene
with force of arms. Some of our finest citizens
advocate an American entry into the wrr. Per-
though ] would rather fight than preach the
Gospel at this hour. The responsibility Of the
President. involving the happiness and welfare
of 100000 900 of people, is too weighty to be
determined by any outside authority or any
accumulation of devout sentiment. In reply
to invitation to neutrality" meeting, the
Bishop of Pennsylvania wrote, and the letter
appeared in the public press:
"As an American citizen, pledged to uphold
American ideals, I am altogether against Ger
many and Austria in this on the grounds
that they threatening, and would destroy
far they have opportunity, those political
and personal liberties and rights which we
Americans have made the foundations of our
Government. Feeling I do, you will readily
understand that cannot have part In any
meeting or movement which has for Its real
object whether or not explicitly avowed the
support of a cause to which personally and
resoutely opposed"
Attempts to Capture Public Opinion
The desperate efforts the Germans are making
at the front to defeat the Allies Is only equaled
ion in America. Nothing will aid them more
than the idiotlc display of lll-temper by such
audiences are being told of.
The situation in America ought to be calmly
considered. Here is nation free from all
entangng alliances, free from all fear of
invasion and threatened by none. 1t finds
itself the only great nation outside, as far as
fear and self-interest concerned. the
possibility Of war. An Independent peo-
pie, accustomed to determine its own policy
and settle it's own principles. It has never
fought with Germany, and the history of this
people records three great wars In each OF
these wars England has been the enemy.
How is this people acting in this crisis? The
whole nation, with the exception of the German
population. Is with tho Allies, Brtains cause is
spoken of as ours; the I'VE and the "us''
of war conversation is eloquent of wonderful
sympathy The press is unit; the vlgor of
its articles the lofty conception of right is not
eXcelled by the London press. In the clubs, on
the street, in offices, in the street cars, the
one spirit is shown. At the Union League Club
the other day a well-known citizen of mature
years raised the song "Tipr-rary" in response
to the orchestra. ] suggested that it was an
unneutra act and the astonishing answer came
back from the mild American: Neutral, sir;
I'm damned If 7 am Most Americans think
he would be- too If he were neutral In heart.
In every walk in life Judges, writer's clergy
men, manufacturers lawyers native-horn pro-
same opinion. This pronounced sympathy with
the allied is not an equivalent to "killing
Kruger with your mouth" 1t is backed up by
the presence of American men in the French
and Canadian armies, by American money,
by the American Red Cross, At the opera at
the orchestra, American women are knitting;
in Bible classes and in theatres they are knit
ting for Kitchener's soldiers. American hearts
wait anXiously for news of success, and
heavy when i'll reports come In return for
this, God mend us! Edinburgh of all cities
hIsses the name America" and shouts IDOL
lars" as interpreting American motive in seek
ing to guard legitimate trade. I would rather
have had the joy of beating the mouth that
hissed than in destroying n company of hostile
foreign soldiers They at least fighting for
thelr country tne OlneF is showing the SER
pent's teeth,
A Lying Commonplace
The cheap sneering, lying commonplace about
the dollar is too frequently found Euro
pean lips; the flying of the American flag in
August of almost any year in Princes street
is not for love- II i'll becomes men so TO
speak. When the Briton little for
the dollar as the American the poverty and
shame, and want, and hunger I have minis
tered amongst in Gorgie will be gone forever
But enough.
With regard to the Presidents note and Mr.
Bryan's communications. British people ought
TO realize that they have to regard the rights
of this nation. The shipping bill is not new;
II Is as evergreen as Home Rule. I believe that
one of the first acts OF the first Congress of
these States shipping bill. l listened in
the Senate to Elihu Roots denunciatlon of an
American officials note, which proved that
lofty integrity and high ideallsm was not
a stranger In America. / heard a noble citizen
of New York say that he would not consider
as against Englands preservation. These SEN
timents are widespread. But to the President
II is not given to take personal view He is
the guardian of the future. and against
vicious precedent he has to set his face When,
under the present strain, Scotsmen cannot see
this, we not surprised But II Is well to
eliminate the superior cry of dollars" In
the Civil War England preferred the material
advantage of her trade to the integrity OF
seemed then TO have no effect on the morals OF
the ContTaband trade. These bitter memories
are all dead. II has been given to an Edin-
burgh audience TO revive them in the generous
American heart.
Ofcal American neutrality is dimcult TO