Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-03-22
FOREIGN CRITICISM OF OUR NEUTRALITY.

In discussing the protest of the United States against
the embargo of the allies on commerce designed for Ger
man ports, the Paris Figaro (newspaper) says tnaG
the French fleet prevented the arrival OF Iood anu
ammunition for CORVALLIS army at Yorktown ana
so caused his surrender IL asserts that mo historian ever
pretended that this dsloya act and we shall be
most surprised if Americans in 1915 condemn proceed
IRE which permitted Washington to win American lnde-
pendence"
That we are actuated by the bases commercial motives
is angrily suggested by the London Daily Graphic
IF the American shipper grumbles, our reply is that
this war is not being conducted for his pleasure or profit
The violation of the laws of war by German soldiers and
sailors has conferred upon clear moral right to put
pressure upon the German people by lntefcepung tne
whole of their seabome commerce BY exercising that
right we shall probably the lives OF hundreds OF
thousands of gallant men, and that hope justes us IN dis
regarding any protest based upon purely pecunaly con-
sideratons."
Even in Germany, where our proposals. it is claimed,
coincide exactly with Geanys DESIRES note OF protest
is heard The Frankfurter Zetung is annoyed with us,
and eXclaims:
"The State which day and night works in the produc
ton of guns bombs submarines and amored moorcars
for our enemies and by way of amend rys God for peace
in it's Methodist churches need not expect that It's warn
ings will particularly affect us morally"
Count Won Reventow writing in the Berlin Tageszeit-
ung is furiousy angry ne accuses the German Govern
ment of yielding too much and says that the American
proposals are unavorabe to Germany AS he sees it, we
would have Germany spare British merchant ships if they
give up the abuse of neutral flags. He writes:
According to this German submarine would let a
merchantmen under the English flag pass by with courte
Gus bows perhaps with salute of the flag To proceed
according to international rules would mean putting an
end to searching and the probable capture of the neuras
and the capture under all circumstances of hoses Such
course for German submarines is out of the question
Moreover even if Great Britain promised to stop the use
of false flags there could be certainty she would keep
her promise; Germany would be the loser in any event.
Another Berlin journal, Die Post, remarks
The fact that the United States alleges that its pro-
posas are based upright friendship and the interests
of humanity is enough to make one suspicious at the
start These proposals have been, in fact dictated solely
by American business interests If Germany agrees to
them she will keep faith, while England will not and the
result will be that Germanys warfare will be seriously
hampered"
These foreign press comments are taken from transa
tons by the Literary Digest and tend to show that
trail course peases of the begerents The motives
of the United States characterized selfish and un
fair and we are accused by either side of favorng the
other in an underhanded way.
But if the American people and press will only keep
their heads and let the government have free hand it
more than likely that we shall out of the crisis
scahed and with the respect Of the world when the hate
and fury of warinfamed passions have given place tC
sober thought and honest judgment