Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1916-06-07

Phoenix, Ariz. June 6. 1916.
The Arizona Republican,
Phoenix
Gentlemen:
Alawys eager to applaud the cour-
ageOus proclamation of the truth, |
hasten to congratulate the Republi-
can on its leader of this morning in
regard to the German victory in the
North Sea.
Let me inform you, however, that
the editor of the Republican is not
the first man in Phoenix to give
forth his suspicion that the British
Notwithstanding shamefully from
the time -honored usage of civilized
warfare-has not been giving out al
WAYS and Immediately the full and
unYarnished facts. | have come
across a number Of people in Phoenix
from their native land. have been
able to explain to me that the So
called British victory off the Falk-
lands amounted to nothing in reality
hat the sinking by an accidental shell
from the British main fleet of a
German merchant vessel proceeding
unarmed on its way with milk and
warm clothing for the victorious Ger
man army in South Africa.
1t seems to me. nevertheless. that
in his leader your editor still does
| less than justice to the German ad-
| mirGlty. Why. when he gives all the
| sunnery to the Germans. should he
attribute all the brains to the Bri-
/ fIGI~p Il hnls .
| there are no men of Imagination
left in the German admiralty capable
of helping out little with a gOoC
press statement when things do no
go altogether right upon the se2s?
But | will not insist. When l reat
| first the account given by the Ger
man naval authorities. | thought i
not impossible that Il certain amour
of discretion and good judgment hat
been used in the selection of the de
tails given out. When, however.
thought OF tho way in which. befor
the war, the German Kaiser and hi
chiefs had taken the common peopl
into their entire confidence, givinj
them every opportunity and ampl
time to make known their wishe
and consenting to the war only whel
driven into it by the clamor for
of the Social Democrats, | had n
doubt as to their course now. S
when I read two or three days late
that they had officially announce
the loss of the battleship Westfalen,
saw from the frankneSS of their ad
mission that the delay in mentionin
the matter had arisen simply thrOug
the press of business which had pre-
vented them checking up every littl
item. That such slip in figurin
was easy enough is shown by tn
fact that the editor of the Republica
himself when he wrote the articl
was evidently still unaware of til
loss
Therein, to be frank myself.
seems to me he was at fault To !
so strongly pro- German that h
squints trifle in his views of thing
is nothing against man, being DIT
as IT is generally to circumstance
connected with his or his father
birth over which he had no contro
and such person is often otherwis
intelligent and capable. But wit
such an excellent paper as yonl
here in Phoenix, there is no eXcu:
for man not reading the news.
Reading the news has in our da
become a duty of the highest soci
importance. Oh. what pity that Il
League for the Enforcement of Pea,
had not been in existence some yea
ago and able to enforce that clau
in its program which insists that
lapse of SIX months shall take pla
before war is declared. in which S
months each of the would-be bellige
ent nations shall be allowed to re;
only enemy news and compelled
read enemy editorials. Three mont
of such a regime would probab
have been sufficient and the DO
peaceable. truth loving rulers. ge
erals and admiralties would on
more have brought their ferocio
peoples under control and been al
to avoid the war which it had be
the dream of their lives to avert.
Yours truly
r. II. BELL.