Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1916-03-10
Put he Shoe On The Other Foot.

fut the ch0e On t0e O11ef f00I.
president Wilson is absolutely right
in refusing to stand for the promulga-
ton of warning by this government
to its own citizens, says the Council
Bluffs Nonpareil, that they should
forego their rights to travel on ships of
belligerents engaged in the European
war.
1T is plausibly argued that it is fool
hardy for Americans to put their own
country's interest in jeopardy by TAX
ing such risks in travelling on foreign
ships in the war zone. The editor of
the Register and Leader states the case
in this manner.
g 1T is not question of the willing
ness of the American people to vindi-
cate substantial right-it is ques-
ton of putting the temporary conven-
fence of one individual up against the
welfare of one hundred million
LET us look at the question from an
other angle. Surprising wild-eyed
autoist goes through the streets of Des-
Moines at break-neck speed and kills
half dozen children. Will not the
power of the whole State of Iowa be
invoked to apprehend and punish that
fellow if he goes to the ends of the
earth? Most assuredly it will done, be-
cause it is principle of law that the
state cannot permit its laws to be set
aside and nullified.
I'm the case of travel on the sea it
seems absurd from one point of view
that the convenience of one hundred
million people should be disturbed to
vindicate the rights Of few reckless
people to travel on the high seas, but
what about acquiescing in the right of
any nation to set aside these rights?
We don't acquiesce in the right of a
reckless autoist to run down and kill
children. We don't permit highway
man to set aside the laws and hold up
people at will. Would it not be just as
logical for the people of Des Moines to
warn people to keep off the streets at
night because it would be unwise to ask
the one hundred thousand residents of
that city to disturb themselves in or
der to protect few people travelling on
the streets at ight from being held up
by highwaymen as for the president of
the United States or congress to warn
people from exercising their right to
travel on the high seas?
president Wilson deserves the con-
graduation of all self-respecting Amer
leans for his refusal to issue any such
humiliating warning as some spineless
congressman are urging him to do.
America should stand for the rights of
her citizens on the seas, just as the
police of Des Moines or any other
city stand for the rights of peaceful and
law-abiding citizens to use the streets
whenever they see fit to do so. What
we are denying in this respect is the
right of any other nation to become a
pirate or highwayman.
Zone hundred million Americans
should not be asked to vindicate the
right Of one individual for the sake of
that individual, but they can afford to
spend some time and energy to deny
the right Of any nation to set aside in
ternational laws whenever it suits its
convenience, tn do 81
1T makes difference which way
you look at this question, just as it
made difference to our revolutionary
forefathers whether or not they were
going to be taxed without representa-
ton. If we must warn our citizens to
keep off the high seas, how long will it
be before it will be necessary for us to
warn our ships to do likewise? We
have too much Of this mollycoddle
business in America. A democracy, il
it is to succeed, must stand for its
rights and it must be able to command
respect for them
Dc>.lE IT, R1..a>l