French Broad hustler and Western Carolina Democrat. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1915-1916, 1916-02-24
1850

In his speech at Minneapolis Mr..
Wilson said:
81 know that the people of this coun-
try are with me in my efforts TO pre-
serve a with the nations now en-
gagged in this bloody war. In spite OF
the clamor made against me / shall
do my duty as 7 e it.
with Gods help / will not embroil
this nation in a bloody war. Peace
with honor viii be preserved, If NV
efforts avail"
1914 and 1915 were portentcus pc
RODS in the nations history. With the
e. exception Of America and q small area
in Europe and Asia the whole world
was engaged In the bloOdiest war In
the annals of history. At the very
outset Of his administration Mr.. Viii
son faced the most delicate and COM
plicated problems. Almost without
exception the great journals OF the
country without regard to party openly
championed the cause of the allies.
Thousands of young Americans
crossed the boundary lines and en-
listed in Canada as soldiers in the
English army. Two and one half
millions of Germans, born in Germany,
hut residents Of America were in full
sympathy with the of the faith
erland."
While public sentiment in the eoun7
try was largely at the beginning of the
war in sympathy with the allies, the
central powers numbered its sympa-
thizers by the million. In an eloquent
and dignified appeal to the people Mr..
Wilson plead for neutrality.
Prompt action was taken by the ad-
ministration to prevent any breach OF
Tour neutrality laws.
The sinking of the Lusitania caused
intense excitement, and the most bit
ter feeling throughout the entire u
try. The metropolitan press demand
co immediate action on thu part ofthe
administration, denouncing the Ger
man submarine warfare as inhumal
and murderous.
They also denounced the act OF
Bernstorf, German ambassador in
warning Americans not to take pas
sage on the i'll fated Lusitania as pre-
sumptuous and most insulting to our
government and demanded that the
passport Of Bernstorf be at once
given him.
LO 1O0O O1 I1O. LII III
delay of the German government in
Injecting the demands made by our
government upon Germany was in.
tensifed by the loss of the Arabic and
again the administration was over
whelmed with abuse and denuncia-
alton for it salleged "cowardly policy
IN dealing with the Teutonic govern
mint. Ex-President Roosevelt de,
lnn1TnnnI tho EiI1In~ Of A M nrioon u 0T
fthe high seas, though on a vessel float
ing the flag OF a belligerent nation as
"wilful, unprovoked and cruel muir
der" and demanded that we at Ionct
sever all diplomatic relations witt
Germany.
But dispite this clamor by the press
and politicians, Mr.. Wilson pursued
the even tenor of his way, and by hi:
prudence and sagacity averted a long
and blood war with Germany and hel
allies, a contest that would have cos,
this nation an untold number of live:
of its bravest and best men, and bill
lions of dollars in war expenditures.
And Germany and its allies openly
announce to the world that the de
,mands of our government are just an(
will in the future be complied with
4 ALI WILL POdGO LuO uOAOI COdtg
try has been preserved.
When the Austria minister's-Dr
Dumba-activities in behalf of his gov
eminent became marked it was tn
Wilson administration that at once II
dignified but firm manner requesteC
his recall. :
T. With an executive of less prudenct
and political sagacity than Wilson
there would have been to please tht
popular clamor an immediate AM
abrupt severance of our diplomatic
relations with Austria, and in ever,
human probability a war with tina.
country and possibly all the centra
, powers.
AS in 1913 by reason of its naya
ascendency Great Britain has subject
ed our foreign commerce to all man
ner of indignities; not only American
vessels, but the ships of neutral ma
tons bound for neutral ports, Will
cargoes consigned to neutral ports
have been seized by British cruisers
taken into British ports, unloaded ant
either ~confiscated as ~contraband o,
held up for indefinite periods for de
i termination by the prize courts. b,
these hi~gh-handed measures, England
t has ~alienated much o fthe feeling O
sympathy had for her cause at the in
lception of the war. Threats of retail
I atory action are openly made in con.
II gress and MI. Wilson is bitterly assail
ed by many of the leading papers IL
the country for his alleged pro Eng
lish sympathiess" and his supine COW
ardice in permitting England to insult