Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1915-01-09


Of men by the tens of thousands
every day is still going on. France
/ has lost more than a million OF her
best men. Russia's loss amounts to
one and three quarter millions. Ger
many and Austria-Hungary must
have also lost close to million Of
men. AT least one hundred thousand
! English and Belgians are resting in
soldiers graves in Belgium and
Northern France. Servia is almost
! depopulated Must this sacrifice OF
human life be continued till one half
OF the male population Of Europe is
! killed or manned and useless for any
vocation? 1t must not 1t can be
stopped and the United States is the
country that can do 1t. All that this
| country needs to do is for Congress
to pass a resolution prohibiting the
expectation Of munition. 1t Is
| charged that such a step on the part
of the United States would be host
( lie act against England and het
! allies That is not true. II would
be an act in the interest OF humanity
/ The five months Of war have shown
| that the allies can not crush Ger
many. Further bloodshed is useless,
and in few months it would have to
cease II the United States would
make up their mind not to furnish
] the belligerents any more guns and
ammunition. The American citizens
who are advocating such a course do
not do it as prO-Germans but as
christians who see plainly the futility
/ of any further boodshed. Some OF
| the most esteemed citizens are
among the earnest advocates Of such
q course on the part of our govern
ment Edward T. Devine, one OF the
foremost social workers of the
country, says on the subject;
I'VE should cease to export mu
nitions OF war. 1t is not a question
OF what we have a right to do as
neutrals under international law. No
doubt jefferson believed that we had
o perfect legal right to export guns
and ammunition, just as our bankers
had q perfect right to disregard
President Wilson's wishes and make
loans to belligerent states. We are
not discussing whether any nation
could properly demand that such ex-
ports cease Can any one deny that
the manufacturers would have
right to cease to manufacture and
sell to belligerents as the bankers de-
clined to make loans? Can ony one
deny that II public opinion demands
It we can by legislation forbid the
export Of arms and ammunition as
congress authorized the President to
forbid such exports to Mexico? Just
as we had right to repeal the Pa
mama Canal tolls act because il
seemed to us better to err, II at all,
on tho side of interpreting our agree"
ments to our own disadvantage ra-
ther than to run the risk OF failing
to keep them, so it is always open to
us to do more than the letter Of in
ternational law requires on the side
Of neutrality and peace.
The simple and appalling consi-
deration which should control our
decision is that If the cannon, armor
plate, copper, powder, motor cars,
and gasoline with which the war is
carried on, are supplied by this
country, we are responsible for It's
continuance. We might easily find
ourselves literally more responsible
for 1t than any nation engaged on
the battle field. If American capital
comes to have a large stake in the
war; inevitably the American con-
science win be scared, American
eyes blinded, American influence for
peace paralyzed, American judgment
on the issues discredited, American
neutrality by-word, American pray
ers for peace, blasphemy.
1t is said that it would have been
very well if we had taken this posi-
tion at the outset, but that to change
our policy now would be taking sides
against the nation which controls the
seas.
allies profited most by whatever part
this country has had in supplying
war materials in the past siA
months? Are we to put no faith in
tho assurance OF England, expressed
through every channel Of public
opinion, that while she values our
sympathy she does not ask us for
material assistance? Is it true that
the resources Of England and her
oversee dominions. OF France and
Russia and their less powerful but
by no means contemplate lesser
allies, are insufficient to carry on
the war against Germany unless we
furnish the guns and ammunition?
II that is so, there is more force in
the claim Of superior German ability
than we friends OF the allies are
wont 10 admit
1t is not as if it were a question
OF the first few days or weeks of
war, when a peace-loving nation
might be taken by surprise Some
thing might be said for coming di-
rectly to the rescue Of such q people
with loans of money, supplies of war
materials, or even with an expeditio-
nary military force. But the time
for any such arguments is past. Our
motive in selling war supplies Is OF
no such character. The Germans be-
lieve themselves to be fighting for
national existence The English de-
clared war in support of solemn
I treaty obligations Americans at
safe distance, in cold blood, make
fighting possible for cash alone,
coming American brains and the
strenuous toll of men, women. and
children, into a form fit only for
destruction If 1915 does not end
the war, let it end at least Americas
fo.,rnTo no rf in ~