The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-06-01
Editorial Comment.
on eurEent Subjects
swHLAr,s STAE ANsWgR95

> ~ Ia tl.lIE
note OF a fortnight ago, Judged by
the version published in Sundays.
newspapers, falls short Of meeting
the situation as presented by Prest:
dent Wilson over Secretary Bryan's
name. It is palpable that Germany
proposes to consume time by raising
points which call for further cores.
pondence, in the meanwhile continu.
ing In the course totwhich the United,
states has objected. The fact is that.
instead Of the American note hating
submarine warfare; there has been,
renewed yigor, and there appears to
be little doubt that the American boat
Nebraskan was deliberately attacked
last week. All the signs are that
Germany will modify its offensive
practices. only insofar as suits its own
convenience and MOTTO comply with
the views and rights Of the United
States.
.Germany's discussion Of the Lusi-
tnaia affair is not, along lines sugges.
tice Of special regret that. SO many
lives were sacrificed. Revival of the
allegation that the Lusitania was
armed and the reference to ship
ments OF war munitions, while they
provide basis for further exchange
Of notes. in no. sense alter the inhu-
manity and brutality of the act Of
sinking her. It does not seem to
strike Germany that this deed was
atrocious, unjustifiable and sindefenst:
BILE as war measure. One can gather
nothing more or less than that it is
the German intention to commit
similar outrages wherever the ext
gencies Of the policy of terrorism call
for such demonstration.
Until the German note has been ex-
amined In full the position it places
our government in cannot be judged
definitely. On the face Of things, how.
ever, it would seem that Germany has
been less frank than the United States
and that President. Wilson is being
toyed with by the astute officials at.
Berlin under the impression that his
patience will be sufficient to restrain
him from precipitating breach. It
lis significant that Washington dis
patches represent, the president as
desiring to hear from the country
before he takes the next step. Has
the feeling with regard to Germany.
which found vent after the Lusitania
outrage, undergone change with the
passage Of time? The president eT.
IDENTIFY wants to know Certainly there
has been no perceptible shift in Ger
many's attitude, and If this attitude
! and the practices by which it was
manifested were objectionable three
weeks ago they are equally objection
able now.
The effort to induce President VII.
son to adopt the Bryan principle in
the preservation of peace relations,
which means to$tallS the. matter oyer
and. il necessary, take year in ad-
justing differences through a commits
sion, is admittedly embarrassing. That
might be preferable to a severance OF
relations, but in the meantime the
United States would be open to the
charge Of having made demands which
lit was relustant to back up. Our gov
ernment, moreover, ought not to go
into the problem of persuading Great
Britain to relinquish its blockade OF
Germans water approaches as the
price of. obtaining Acknowledgement
Of and respect for American rights.
The lives and rights Of American citi-
zens cannot legitimately be construed
as contingent upon readjustment
Of war conditions to meet the necessi.
ties of Germany. This the president
is not inclined to assent to, and in that
stand he will undoubtedly:be support
ed by public opinion.-Pittsburgn
Gazette Times. - =.
What blew a hole IN the hull Of the
| American steamer Nebraskan on the
Irish coast, and why, appears to be q
good deal OF mystery: II the dam
age was done by striking "a mine,
\ whose mine CouLutAI ia " 'S+..., d 49,.
4 bly the Germans may have been
scattering floating mines, but this
would appear to be difficult thing
10 d6 since any German vessel SO
occupied would almost certainly be
4 discovered by the British patrol yes
sells, and ii is hardly work that sub
marines could do effectively. But that
lthe Nebraskan should have been tor:
I!nedoed seems still more improbable.
III the Germans wanted to torpedo an
n American vessel they would hardiy
select one that was saiElIng aWest, Z, y
,bsiiast There could be no possible
4 'oSiect IN such an act as that. Even
sifnnosine that Germany wanted to
insuit the United States, which seems
Incredible, surely. her submarines
,oo-e-ee-e.@so-@ec.o~~ 49,
| r., - =.