Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-04-04

In its attitude toward the terrible
events which accompanied the early
stages Of the war.
First, as to power:
When the war In Europe began, free,
peaceable little Switzerland instantly
modified upon her frontier a great
army Of trained citizen soldiers. Stur-
dy little Holland did the same, and
both have kept their territory and their
independence inviolate.
Great, peaceable America was farther
removed from the conflict, but her
trade and her citizens Travelled on ev.
cry sea. Ordinary knowledge Of Eu.
ropean affairs made It plain that the
war was begun not by accident, but
with purpose which would not soon be
relinquished. Ordinary knowledge Of
military events made 1t plain from the
moment when the tide of German inva.
sion turned from the battle Of the
Marne that the conflict was certain to
be long and desperate. Ordinary knowl.
edge Of history-of our own history
during the Napoleonic wars-made 1t
plain that in that conflict neutral rights
would be worthless unless powerfully
maintained
The Democratic government at Wash
ington did not see It Others saw 1t,
and their opinions found voice. Mr..
Gardner urged 1t, Mr.. Lodge urged 1t,
Mr.. Stimson urged It, Mr.. Roosevelt
urged 1t, but their argument and ur-
gency were ascribed to political mo-
tives, and the president described them
| with a sneer as nervous and excited.
Wilson Has Shifted Ground.
But the warning voices would not be
stilled The opinion that we ought no
longer to remain defenseless became
public opinion. It's expression grew
more general and insistent, and finally
the president, not leading, but follow
ing, has shifted bis ground, has reyers.
ed his position and asks the country to
prepare against war. God grant that
he be not too late. But the Democrat
10 party has not shifted its ground A
large part Of its members In congress
are endeavoring now to sidetrack the
movement for national preparedness,
to muddle It by amendment and turn
It into channels which will produce the
least possible result In the increase Of
national power of defense. What
sense Of effectiveness In this effort can
we gather from the presence Of Jose
phus Daniels at the most critical post
Of all-the head Of the navy depart
ment-when we see that where
preparation has been possible 1t has
not been made, when We see that con.
sruction Of warships already author
lied has not been pressed and in some
cases after long delay has not even
been begun?
II an increase of our country's power
to defend itself against aggression Is
authorized by the present congress 1t
must be largely through Republican
votes, because all the traditions and
convictions Of that party are for ma
tonal power and duty and honor.
As to the policy Of threatening words
without deeds:
When Germany gave notice Of her
purpose to sink merchant vessels on
the high seas without safeguarding the
lives Of innocent passengers our gov.
ernment on the 10th Of February one
year ago informed Germany in unmis-
taxable terms that In attacking and
sinking vessels of the United States
and in destroying the lives Of American
citizens lawfully travelling upon mer-
chant vessels. Of other countries she
would act at her peril They pledged
the power and courage of America,
with her hundred million people and
her vast wealth, to the protection OF
her citizens, as during all her history
through the days of her youth and
weakness she had protected them.
On the 18th Of March the passenger
steamer Falaba was torpedoed by q
German submarine and an American
citizen was killed, but nothing was
done. On the 2Sth Of April the Amer
lean vessel Cushing was attacked and
crippled by a German aeroplane. On
the LIST Of May the American vessel
Gulflight was torpedoed and sunk by a
German submarine and two or more
Americans were killed, yet nothing was
done. On the 7th Of May the Lusita-
mia was torpedoed and sunk by Ger.
man submarine and more than 100
Americans and LOO other noncom-
batants were drowned. The very thing
which our government had warned
Germany she must not do, Germany
did of set purpose and in the most con-
temptuous and shocking way. Then,
when all America was stirred to the
depths, our government addressed an
other note to Germany. 1t repeated
it's assertion of American rights and
renewed its bold declaration Of pur-
pose. It declared again that the Amer
lean government must hold the Inn
perIal German government to strict
accountability for any infringement of
those rights, Intentional or Incidental"
and It declared that 1t would not "omit
any word or any act necessary to the
performance Of its sacred duty Of main
tanning the rights of the United States
and It's citizens and Of safeguarding
their free exercise and enjoyment i
Still nothing was done and 9 long
and technical correspondence ensued.
haggling over petty questions of de-
tail, every American note growing less
and less strong and peremptory until
the Arabic was torpedoed and sunk
and more American lives were destroy
ed, and still nothing was done, and
the correspondence continued until the
allied defense against German subma-
rine warfare made It improbable and
led to its abandonment, and the cor
respondence is apparently approaching
its end without securing even that par
ttal protection for the future which
might be found in an admission that
the destruction Of the Lusitania was
forbidden by law. The later CORE
spondence has been conducted by our
state department with dignity, but It
has been futile. An admission OF La
bility for damages has been secured,
but the time for real protection to