TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1916-04-26

cause a revival Of the submarine dis
crssion throughout the country and II
might as well be fair and honest.
Fer the purpose Of contributing our
share toward making It so we win
review with the greatest possible
brevity the leading facts.
President Wilson seems TO demand
that Germany cease TO 8 sub
marines. AS We recolleet II the sub
marine was first used by the con-
federates and among the nations now
existing the United States was the
first TO build one. At the outbreak
Of the wan Great Britain had ninety
six; France, mnety-three; Russia,
forty-three; Germany, thirty-nine,
and Austria-H Hungary, fourteen.
The United States at that time
had fifty-eight. So Germany, in
stead of taking the lead in the use
Of vessels Of this class had fewer Of
them than any other strong European
power, except her ally, Austria
Hungary, and had only twO-thirds as
many as the United States.
AS to the use Of the submarine
to attack merchant vessels these are
the facts: The British government
gave notice on Feb. 2, 1915, that all
shipments Of foodstuffs to Germany
would be considered eontraband.
These were not -contraband by inter-
national law, which permitted the
shipment Of foodstuffs for the
civilian population. Great Britain
had not the shadow Of a right to
chance international law. She treated
foodstuffs as contraband because she
claimed the power to do SO.
Any interference with trade is a
interference with the rights Of tvs,
nations, for one cannot buy unles
the other sells. Germany Dough
from the United States the create
part Of the foodstuffs she imported
SO this announcement by the British
government was an announcement to
Germany, "You shall not buy food
stuffs from the United States or from
any other country separated from
you by the sea-" At the same time
it was an announcement to the United
States and all countries separated
from Germany by the seas: @sYou
shall not sell foodstuffs to Germany"
Cotton was treated as contraband
later, but Great Britain began on
foodstufs.
The rights of Germany and the
United States we're mutual and Great
Britain was denying both. The Unit
ed States should not have waited for
anyone else to defend the rights of
citizens, but should have
said to Great Britain: "We win not
you TO interfere with the
legal rights Of the American people"
Great Britain would have ceased such
interference if she had known the
United States would not permit it,
but the United States took no prompt
but later protested.
But Germany was prompt. Two
days after Great Britain's announce
ment she made hers that she would
destroy all enemies merchant vessels
in the waters around the British
isles. She made it in retaliation for
Great Britain's act in making food
contraband and in doing so she was
championing the cause Of those who
to sell the food as well as
those who wished to buy it.
Whatever may have been her mo-
she was ch~ampioning the cause
of the United States as well as that
of Germany and, strange to say, the
government of the United States
protested more vehemently and more
per~sistentIy against Germany's effort
to secure the rights of her people
and incidentally the rights Of the
of the United States than
the violation Of the rights
Of the people of the United States.
The submarine blockade, which, in
resulted In the death Of a
few hundred me and women, was
as b~rutal-as a violation
Of all the instincts Of humanity
but nothing was said Of the British
order which was designed for the
purpose Of starving 60,OOO,000 non
,ombatants in Germany mostly
and children. The fact that
the effort failed does not detract
the humanity Of It's purpose.
Germany agreed and has cOntin-
ned to agree to- abandon her sub
warfare against merchant
if Great Britain would
abandon her prohibition Of the import
If foOdsEuHs into Germany. Rememb-
n that there is not one single
man on earth who denied
hat Great Britain was guilty Of an
IIegal arf II nrnnihiffng the imnnrf