Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-08-18
VIM. Writ MILLS
new YORK Lett Ter
New York, Aug. 10, 1915.

New York, Aug. 10, 1915.
Gold! $35,00O,000 in the real vel
low metal, to say nothing Of $4,000
BOO in securities! This is the sum Of
> days receipts in this cityan I'M
stallment on the purchase price Of Am
erica's assistance in the world war!
Yet it is only q sixth Of the value of
the increase Of American exports to-
Great Britain In the past twelve
and about tenth of the loss
in American exports to the blockaded
ports of Central Europe. OF course,
seventy-five tons Of the precious metal
looks amazingly good to Wall Street
and to the munitions makers, but then
there are the cotton planters and the
manufacturers in other lines who do
not see the color Of the gold.
Considerable feeling has been arous-
ed in commercial circles here by the
persistent attempt of Great Britain to
negotiate private and unofficial set
Element of the controversy over. Eng
lands illegal interference with Amer
ica's cotton trade.
In the first place, while cotton is a
big factor in this country's foreign
trade, there are other lines of mer-
chandise, and the Government cannot
wink at settlement that will reim-
burse only one class of business and
leave others unremunerated for sew
ere losses.
But there is bigger objection in
the fact that it would be highly I'M
neutral to accept payment that would
be tantamount to a bride for depriv-
ing the central European nations of
their normal supplies of this staple,
and would surely react against the for
eign trade of this country after the
war in tending to close up great mar.
kets. -
Moreover, the proposition is insult
ing. 1t amounts to an attempt to buy
American honor. The idea seems to
be that America will submit to invas-
ion of it's trade rights If certain priv.
ate interests are satisfied with dollars.
In order to force through this
scheme England now threatens to de-
clare cotton contraband. This would
be like remedying an injury with a
kick. In order to forstall any such
unfriendly action it is hoped here that
Washington will hurry it's reply to the
British note, COUGHING it's demands N
the same strong terms as the recent
note to Germany, and if necessary
threatening an embargo, as Senator
Hoke Smith urges, or league of neu
trail nations to defend the freedom OF
the seas, such as Sweden seeks, as the
american" advises.
Germany needs to be protected from
some Of its friends. Now one of them
calls upon Americans of German orr
gin to assert themselves in politics
and threatens the President with the
opposition of the German vote in 1916
counting on the Irish to join them
This is just foolish. The German
cause is strongest here when it's sup
porters hew close to the line Of strict
est neutrality, seeking no favor, stir
ing no fear, creating no antagonisms
but Joining with all real Americans IL
the assertion of all Americas neutra
rights against all the belligerents.
The fall of Warsaw inspires thu
Evening Sun" to outline terms O.
peace. for the European combatants
pointing out that a settlement nov
would give Germany the better hall
of Poland, all of Belgium except a tiny
corner, including Antwerp, which il
worth more than all the colonies Ger
many has lost, and a twentieth Of
France, with no natural barrier re
naming between Germany and Paris
Austria would be diminished, will
the Dardenelles still a locked door tt
Russia. And the Allies would have
nothing to balance the account. 81
the Sun" waves away the demand fol
peace, bids the Pope put his hopes
aside, and declares that peace nov
would lend the war on an entirely
false basis"
There seems to be no end to the
fantastic tales that are putting Provi
dence, r. l., on the map. Almost daily
an unofficial newspaper of the British
embassy, hitherto unknown, published
In that city, disturbs the quietness Of
the land by some startling invention
OF German Vaccinations. The story
is wired here and throughout the land
only to be exploded in a day or two as
q baseless canard.
A discouraging commentary on the
manners Of the crowd is had in the
barring Of the gates of James b
Dukes show place over in New Jer
sey. His immense park has been open
freely to visitors, but their destruc.
tiveness and insolence has compelled
him to stop the privilege.
AS readers Of these letters will re-.
collect, Sir Edward Grey is in error in
stating that Americas sales of war
materials to the Allies have "more
than compensated" this country for
the loss of its markets in central Eu.
rope. This statement is astonishing.
To deprive country Of Legitimate