Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-05-18
A Test for the American People
~ GEORGE w. klRcHWEY
Kent Professor Of Law, Columbia University.

ders, the allied armies may also resort
to the same hellish mode Of destroying
the enemy. If the French use dunno
bullets against the Germans, the latter
may employ them against the French.
But for Germany to assert that her
right Of reprisal against Great Britain,
II 1t exists at all, justifies her in taking
the lives of the citizens of neutral pow
ers in sheer madness - the madness
of desperation. That such claim will
be allowed, that such practices will be
tolerated, is uncomfortable.
But our own share in the tragedy
must not blind us to the fact that the
blow has fallen on the citizens of other
neutral powers as well and most heavi.
| ly and with equal injustice and in
humanity on English men, women and
children. This is not the first, nor is
1t likely to be the last Of Germany's re-
prisals in which innocent and neutral
lives will be offered up. Is not our
duty clear? Our government, on the
first proclamation of Germany's pirat.
ical designs, notified her that we
should hold the imperial government
to strict accountability for the destruc-
ton Of American lives and property.
There is no reason to doubt that the
promise will be made good. The presi-
dent can be trusted to act promptly
and resolutely But 1t Is to be hoped
that he will not act alone nor in the
interest OF our country solely We are
mot only the greatest Of neutral pow
ers but we are, by virtue of that fact,
bound, in common cause and In the
face OF a common danger, - act in be-
half and in concert with all other neu.
trail powers
1t has frequently been suggested In
the course Of the war that our govern
ment call conference Of neutral ma
tons to determine what steps should
be taken to safeguard neutral rights
and interests and to concert measures
for restoring the sanctions of interna-
tional law and public right. Is not
this the one clear and effective method
Of dealing with the present situation?
Germany may deem her national emer.
gency great enough to warrant her in
rejecting the warnings Of single neu-
trail power, however great, she may
even dare to defy world in arms. But
a congress representing the neutral
nations Of the earth, convoked In no
hostile spirit but animated by sincere
purpose to find peaceful solution OF
an intolerable situation, to re-examine
and, so far as possible, to readjust to
modern conditions the rules of inter-
national law, might well succeed in
finding way out of the impasse into
which the war as now waged has
brought the world And If the worst
should come to the worst, If Germany
cannot by any means Of cancellations
be led to abandon her illegal and bar
barous methods OF carrying on the war,
the neutral nations, acting in concert,
will find other means than that OF war
- means more effective than war -
of bringing her to terms. A sentence
Of outlawry, an International boycott,
involving the cutting of all commune
cations and the severance Of all rela-
tons, commercial and other, with the
offending nation might as last resort
be employed. She would then learn
that the public opinion of the civilized
world is still force to be reckoned
with.
tional Editorial Service.)