Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-09

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FOREIGN representatives: Cone. hor-
enxen 4 woodman, Mallers Building
Chicago; 225 Fifth Ave-, New YORK
City; Gumbel Bldg. Kansas City. MO. =,
70 Break DIPLOMATIC RELA-
TloNs MAY CAUSE WAR.
II is human nature to act first and
think about it afterward. The record
OF the ages Is full of troubles, d1sas'
tiers and wars brought on by acts
that were committed before their con-
sequences we're considered.
Nations, like individuals, are prone
to make this error and the United
States, because It is one Of the young
est and least experienced of the
world powers. offends along this line
as much or more than the other and
older countries.
Yust row there is danger that this
country will go of half cooked over
the submarine controversy with Ger
many It has been suggested IN all
seriousness that diplomatic negotia-
tions with the Germans be broken
on until that country chooses to &C
cept the Interpretation of this coun-
try upon matters of international law
and rights. It has even been limited
that some such plan is entertained at
the white house where there Is an in
clination to be peeved at the fruitless-
ness of the long drawn out discus
sions with the kaisers government.
Advocates OF the diplomatic break
profess to believe that such a course
would result advantageously to this
a.. -. 4sytn
the belligerents.
Such claim is little short of ridic-
ulous. Instead of giving more
weight to our demands, diplomatic
break with Germany--or any other OF
the chief warning powers-would be
most liable to lead to war. 1t is safe to
make the statement even strong
er-it would be almost certain to take
this country into armed conflict. The
people OF the United States DO not
want war. It is up to this nation and
to its political leaders to do their
thinking now, to consider fully the
consequences OF any such act as
breaking diplomatic relations, and
not to do something that will need
lessly drag the country out of it's
present peace and security.
Germany, whose diplomats have
been trained to think, know that such
a severance would be serious mat
ter. In discussing the matter last
week Count Won Bernstorff. German
ambassador to this country, pointed
out that with diplomatic relations
severed there would be no agency by
which the enthusiasm of naval COM
manders could be held in check, and
that some circumstance was almost
certain to occur to lead to hostilities.
BY thinking beforehand, these facts
are made plain. The nations Of
Europe are at war, such war as the
world never before saw. Each nation
believes its very existence is at stake
and each nation is fighting for its
very life. No quarter is being asked
and none is being given. When such
conditions prevail, it is time for the
innocent bystander to take cognizance
OF them and to keep out # the way.
He has nothing whatever to gain by
insisting on his own inalienable rights
because the combatants are not going
to respect any laws that will interfere
with their successful prosecution of
the war. This is not an idle state
.ment; 1t Is a fact borne out by the
record Of the war to date. War is all
Sherman claimed for 1t, and little
bit more. We must not expect ma.
lions engaged in war to see things
from the same viewpoint as we do.
Now taking the above into consid-
Grafton, Is there any reason to believe
that the allies will cease sending ships
out on the high seas or that the leu
tons will cease attempting to sink
them? II England closed her ports
she would starve; II Germany called
OF her submarines she would be re-
linuuishing her most effective wea.
pom. Most assuredly there is going to
be no. change In the present proceed.
ure. #
II a severance Of diplomatic rela-
tions occurred and there followed
as IL apt to happen any day-the tor
ped0ing of q ship with the loss of
American life. what remains for the
United States to do? There are but
two courses in view OF the fact that
there would be no way to talk the
matter over and reach an agreement
Either the United States would have
to swallow the dose in silence or de-
clare war. There would be no middle
course.
The American people are not pa
tient under circumstances such as de-
picted above. There Is little reason
to believe they would silently watch
their fellow citizens being killed or
drowned on the high seas where their
rights permit them to be. Without
the oil of diplomacy, without the
means of communication and discus
sion, without the chance for explana-
ton, apology or reparation, there
could be no settlement of such a hap
pening except by force of arms.
Viewed in this light, what would be
the chances of the United States to
keep out Of war in the event relations
nth any of the principal European
pbwers were severed during the pro-
gress Of the present struggle.
Those officials who have been
4 ructad y,,;fh tho O,Iidinu IF the ma.