The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1916-11-02

ten by the eminent lawyer, David
Chauncey Brewer, adviser on interna-
tional law for the Army and Navy
Journal, and given to the press a short
time after the sinking of that trans
port. He says:
"The path of neutral is difficult
enough in these days of stress without
adding to its perplexities. At best. it's
duties are not easy to perform and its
rights are hard to maintain Notwith-
standing this there are numberless
journalists who insist upon stirring
the people of the United States with
false as well as real issues.
No better instance can be cited
than that of the Armenian. Whatever
the official report may later show, the |
story which first reached the news
centers contained no element which |
made the freighter parallel the case Of |
the Lusitania. This in no way dis
cOuraged the press. Even papers that |
are carefully edited informed their |
readers that there was cause for APP
prehensiOn in the fact that Germany |
was continuing the illegal use of the |
submarine as if no protest had been |
made. Yellow journals went further
To their mind the sinking of the Ar
menian took the place of a diplomatic
note. 1t was according to these pa
peri Germanys way of saying-'We
accept your implied challenge and ioin
issue Hereafter we shall continue to
destroy merchant ships and non-com-
batants at our pleasure If Ameri-
cans happen to be involved, so much
worse for them
People who are informed and who
reason carefully from premise to con
clusion were naturally not deceived
According to the published account the
Armenian was: % Carrying freight
rather than passengers; o. Conveying
mules direct to the British or allied
armies; (3) UNDER CHARTER TO
THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. OR IN
ITS DIRECT SERVICE, WHETHER
THE RELATION WAS THAT ARTS
ING BY REQUISITION OR CON
TRACT; "a Probably Differed by
the British government; 60 The mea-
ger returns at hand failed to state
whether the destroyed ship had at
tempted to escape or had offered re- :
sistance, and without such data a spir-
1t of fair play required a suspension
of judgment.
Thus the tale carried in itself ele-
which the editors were pleased to /
make, and the latter would have been
harmless if the ordinary reader were :
trained to logical thinking. Unfor-
tunately the ordinary reader is neith-
er thoughtful nor logical however es-
Unable he or she may be in character
or disposition Nor is this in itself \
reproach Such is the speed and ten I
sion of modern life that much has to
be taken for granted by those who are
inclined to be meditative. How can it I
be otherwise with people who are .
without such tendency?
ITO large part of the public there .
fore the suggestion that the killing of :
Americans on the Armenian was a bit
OF outrageous belligerent impudence .
outwelghed the narrative itself 1t
was fortunate that the incident hap {
pened at time when the country was !
confident that the president and the
department of state were zealously
guarding its interests in the very mat
ter which was thus brought to atten-
ton. Otherwise results might have
been serious as they are bound to be
in the future, if more restraint and
good sense is not shown by those who
are purveyOrs of news" 4
1t is evident from the last para 4
graph that Mr. Brewer was anticipat-
ing the present campaign, when pub !
lie confidence might be shaken by at 4
lacks on the administration. In view q
of the fact that even a grave senator !
has not hesitated to make absurd q
charges against the government and 4
reiterate them with nothing by the ]
affidavit of a nOnentity to back them, 4
1t is evident that the outs will hesitate !
at nothing, and that they will perhaps !
try to stampede the people by playing 8
up Misrepresentation of the latest !!
submarine activities within the next
few days. 1t is therefore we'll for the 3
people to be on their guard and to !
keep in mind the principles set forth
by so distinguished a legal authority
as Brewer in order that they not be
deceived 4
Of course, it is impossible to say in
advance of investigation that the sub
marine may not have violated the
principles of international law. but the
point is that it is unjust to assume
that she did so until the matter has
been thoroughly sifted, and in this as
in every case, a verdict should be
withheld until the evidence is all in. \