New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1915-07-20

lean flag is insulted and dishonoret
we shall appoint a commission to dis
cuss the matter for year before TAX
ing action? Do they mean that II
French or English submarine sinks
ship crowded with non-combatanti
4 as the Germans sank the Lusitania
4 and IL American women and childrel
are again drowned wholesale on .th
j high seas, we shall appoint a com
mission to talk about it for year an,
bind ourselves to take no action prio
to that time?
4 IF they do mean these things, i
cur people mean these things, the,
4 let them honestly say SO. From m,
(! standpoint such action would be in
| conceivably base ana cowardly. New
! ertheless, 1t is at least possible to &C
cept the mental integrity OF the mar
| taking it il he announces from the
beginning that such is his intention
But is is absolutely and grossly ina
proper to take 1t unless the concrete
case to which the general principle is
to apply is thus set markedly forth at
the outset and we agree to abide by
action In such concrete case
Fear is The Motive.
Now the fact that these male and
female professional peace enthusiasts
who have screamed so busily for peace
during the last year have been afraid
to make any concrete protest against
wrong Is doubtless duo primarily to
sheer fear on their part. They were
afraid OF the trouble and effort i'm
piled in acting about Mexico. Above
all, they are afraid OF Germany. Those
of them who are politicians are afraid
Of the German-American vote; for
these professional pacificists have no
sense of national honor and are great
encouragers Of hyphenated American
ism. But in addition they are terror
lied, they are cowed, by the ruthless
spirit of German nilitarism. The
Berlin Lokalanzeiger spoke as follows
after the sinking of the Lusitania: @
& We do not wish to gain the love
Of the Americans, but we desire to be
respected by them. The loss of the
Lusitania will earn that respect for us
more than a hundred nattles won on
land.
"Of course. when the Lokalanzeig-
er spoke Of inspirins respect in
America what 1T really meant was that
1t would inspire fear. The murder
of women and children does not in
spire respect; but, unfortunately, it
may inspire fear. AS a matter Of fact.
think it did inspire fear among our
pacifcists. There are plenty OF
Americans like myself who immense
ly admire the efficiency OF, the Ger
mans in industry and in war, the eff
cheney with which in this war they
have subortlinated the whole social
and industrial activity Of the State to
the successful prosecution Of the war.
and who greatly admire the German
people, and regard the German strain
as one Of the best and strongest
strains in our composite American
blood; but who feel that the German
government, the German governing
class has In this war shown such ruth
less and domineering disregard for tho
rights Of others az ~ demand pro-
test, and IL necessary further action,
on our part.
Intended as Terrorism.
Unfortunately, thus ruthless and
brutal efficiency has, as regards many
men Of the pacificist type. achieved
precisely the purpose 1t was. intended
to achieve AS part Of her program
Germany has counted on the effect Of
terrorism upon all men of soft ma
ture. The sinking Of the Lusitania
was intended primarily as terrorism
just as the use of poison gas in the
trenches Ca use defensible only il one
also defends the poisoning of wells
and the torture Of prisoners) was In
tended as terrorism. The object
terrorization-has not been achieved
as regards the fighting men of Eng
land, France, Belgium, Russia, Italy
and Servia. But It has had a dis
tinctive effect in cowing timid per-
sons everywhere. do not believe it
would have any effect in cowing the
bulk Of our people If our people
could be walked up TO what has hap
pened, but have no question that 1t.
has had very great effect in cowfng
that noisy section Of our people which
has talked loudest about peace at any
price The people who say of the
present administration that sat any
rate, it has kept us out Of trouble with
Mexico or GERMANY the people
who say that we ought not to act
about the Lusitania; the people who
say we ought not to have acted on
behalf of Belgium. include In their
ranks very many Of the persons who
are cowed by Germany, who are
afraid of what Germany would do IL
we stood up for our own rights or
for the rights of other and weaker
peoples
The sinking OF the Lusitania, the
destruction of Louvain, the shooting
Of the Belgians who rallied to the de-
fence Of their flag. precisely as the
men of Lexington and Bunker Hill
once rallied to the defence Of theirs,
the nperciless thoroughness of the ex.
ploitation Of the civilian population
of northern France and Belgium, the
utter ruthlessness shown in dealing