South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-08-25
VI DIPLOMACY.

nNINANNl II III lA0NAaA1A
II is very kind OF Great Britain.
Close your eyes, please. and presume
shat everything is lovely. England is
10 be our saving grace. On the heels
,e the nnouncemen that Great Brit
ain has definitely decided TO declare
Gotten c~ontraband. comes semi-oficial
reports Of a remarkable plan said 10
have been decided on by the allies to
soften the blow. II is nothing less than
e that England and France
shall Jointly save u cotton-srOwing
region from ruin by buying mp all our
surplus cotton.
The plan apparently contemplates
the purchase Of vast quantities OF
foodstufs. as well. though the en-
phasis is naturally placed on cotton
And by carrying it out. the allies would
serve a double purpose. They would
knock ina the head the antagonism now
developing against England among
American producers, : ~tlcularlY
throughout the south, because of her
persistent restriction Of the foreign
market and they would avoid all the
friction that is now caused In the ap-
~plication of her embargo 20 particular
cases. The cotton. meat and other
goods purchased would be stored here
in this country and shipped abroad as
needed. Since England or France
would be the owner Of the cargoes
when shipped, the problem of search
ing vessels would be simplihed and
there would be no more occasion for
Selling them.
That is. il would be simplifed. so far
as concerns France and England, but
still. how about those German subma-
rines2 is il the plan Of Great Britain
To- protect her cargoes with a rev
Americans on board, calculating that
Germany will not dare take the'chance
of offending America by blowing them
up? 1t occurs TO US that we might as
well make up our minds to the newt
able. Germany isn't going to stop or
alter her submarine warfare in any
such manner as to give protection TO
British vessels merely because OF an
occasional American passenger and
should the people of the United States
eventually see the light and show DIS
inclination TO be the goat OF British
it might cause serious COM
pucations. Sentiment is growing in
this country. in that very direction,
If Americans will travel on British
vessels the disposition is increasing
that they should take their " risks,
and not ask the country to plunge it
self into war TO avenge their deaths.
Germany is not justified in her wan
ton. lawless course, but We have a
right 20 be sensible. Because there is
"a moose ahead. which has no business
there. we are not In duty bound TO
stick our necks into IL. Americans on
|belIigerent vessels should be left 10
take the chauces of belligerents-es
peciaIIy. we would assert, if their
presence be due to any c%onnivance OF
such b~lligerent. to force some neutral
pow. TO throw about them a protect
irg arm. Let England and France
proceed with their cotton program, but
We need not be deceived.
II is said that the allies hope to
raise in the United States a credit loan
or $1,000. O0O. 900 90 start with. That
sum. if applied TO cotton alone. would
suffice 90 buy outright more than
100000 bales at a price which the
producers would gladly accept for it
IL several hundred MILLIONS were used
10 carry a few million bales through
the winter. the effect might be even
better The buying OF cotton AMI
olher commodities I'm great quantities
would. OF course, preclude high prices
from the allies. but would have "a bene-
dciaI effect i'm stcadying the market
Of course. our governmen would have
To see TO il that there was no illegal
"cornering' of cotton or other COM
modities.
There may be considerable objection
TO the raising of such "a loan i'm the
United states. particularly from Ger
man-American bankers. II is hard
To see however. why the loan should
Zoe opposed ON principle. Credit loans
have been recognized as legitimate
and as safe from the standpoint OF
sound American finance. because the
money remains in his country. Ger
many herself has NEGOTIATED loan:
here amounting 90 many millions dur
Ing the past year.
TRUE AMERICAN SPIRIT"
Germany's campaign TO convince