South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-07-09

! attempt 10 XIII j. L. Morgan, are
simply one pesky thing leading 10 an
other in behalf Of Germany. And.
! just as "A certain group of American
newspapers. in New York and Chi
cago. were charged by Theodore
/ Roosevelt with responsibility for the
assassination OF Pres't William Nc
/ Kinley. so these German American
/ newspapers and societies must be held
I somewhat responsible for this recent
outrage
They have. Of course. not advocated
| violence But their bitter denuncia-
| tiOns OF our government and their
| fragrant misrepresentation on the
subject OF war supplies lead inevitably
TO that end through the unsettling OF
weak and brooding minds like Frank
| Holt's.
II is absurd and unjust to talk Of
! conspiracy" i'm connection with this
case. But the organized activity Of
recent months has been of a type al
| most certain to arouse, sooner or
later. an epidemic of terrorism by
providing a plausible motive TO in
| dividuaI cranks with a penchant for
criminal violence.
1t is time for the bitterly partisan
editors and public men who have been
masquerading as neutrals and pacifists
TO let up with their alien propaganda
and admit the truth about the muni-
tions traffic.
It may be immoral to sell arms
to the allies-it may be immoral and
/ inhuman 20 manufacture and sell inn
plements of slaughter under any cir
oumstances-bu the public should
demand that those who impugn our
public and private honor in this mat
ter should come into court with clean
hands
The editors and other leaders OF
pro- German opinion have admitted
that our citizens have a legal. neutral
right TO sell arms to belligerents. They
may not admit that it would be a vio-
lation of neutrality to change our
policy now. in the midst of the war,
under conditions that would make the
act virtually an Intervention on Ger
many's behalf They may not admit
that it is necessary to sustain the right
of unrestricted private sale of arms
and ammunition TO belligerents, in
order that non-military nations like
ours, if attacked by a we'll prepared
nation, shall always be able TO obtain
the means Of defense. But there are
some things, directly involving the
morality OF their own position, that
they cannot evade if they are honest.
Let them admit that, if the traffic
is wrong. Germany herself has set us
the worst example: that German man.
ufacturers have sold guns and ammu-
milton to belligerents in every war
since 1870; and that it was the Ger
! man delegates at the last Hague con-
| ference who blocked the efforts Of
other nations to change the rules and
stop the traffic in future wars. Let
them admit that all the talk about
hundreds of thousands OF Germans
soldiers killed and wounded by Amer
J lean shells was pure bunk" that
while there were some shipments Of
cartridges. there was not an American
shell sent to Europe until the middle
of June, and France has not yet fired
one; that the claim that the war
would have been owe i it hadn't been
for our arms trait is the veriest
! nonsense.
Let them admit that when they
argue that we are "prolonging the
war" they are arguing not as human
itarians for peace, but as partisans.
for a quick. sharp victory for Ger
many. And let them admit that, If
| il is immoral TO provide the material
for slaughter that another nation Uses,
| we have on our heads also the blood
of Belgians. French. British and Rus
slams slain by German ammunition
made from American cotton and cop
per.
Ii will be better for the nation and
! for every element Of IL if. in discussing
the arms traffic. we do SO on basis of
| facts and honest morals rather than
on a basis OF passion and hypocrisy.