The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-10

"The bloodthirsty attitude assumed
! by Mr.. Root and Mr.. Roosevelt, both
! of whom, curiously enough were recfp-
tents of the Nobel Peace Prize, is one
of those astonishing revelations indica-
| tive of the manner in which men of
repute are apt to lose their heads in
q national crisis. But the President
of the United States has not lost his
head, nor has he lost sight of the true
/ vision of what America means to the
world. It has been his difficult task
to maintain, in time of war, the stan
| dards Of peace. To preserves peace,
under such circumstances, is a far no
bier accomplishment than to lead a
nation in war. One can always have
war. It should be last resort. All
our great statesmen have warned us
against it.
.'The pages of our history are filed
with their admonitions.
! washington and Jefferson and
Franklin and Lincoln and Grant all
had q horror of war. but shall any
one say that they lacked courage or
that when the time of test came they
| hinched or failed? The American
people have sufficient discernment to
distinguish between the spurious pa
! triotisrn that rushes head1ong into con-
Aroversy and that real patriotism which
is not easily provoked. to bitterness or
violence or reprisa1 and which for that
very fact may be counted upon for all
the greater steadfastness in the real
hour of national peril.
Belgium.
1.-The American people, no matter
what their feeling may have been with
regard to Belgium, know that the at
titude of neutrality assumed by our
President was the only correct posi-
ton that could have been taken. Had
q contrary position been assumed the
sinking of the Lusitanfa, when it came
would almost inevitably have required
US to join the international conflict.
1T may be true that some of our cit
liens would have approved this course
and have accepted the results gladly,
but they are but mere fraction Of our
people.
''Mr. Root was United States Sena-
tor when the Belgium representatives
came to this country, and Senator Nc
Lean was also in the Senate. I do
not recall that either of these states
men arose to support the propriety up
on the part OF the President of writing
note of disapproval to Germany. Sew
en- weeks later, Mr.. Roosevelt in the
Outlook of Septem Der 23rd, 1914. said:
tOf course it would have been folly
to jump into the gulf ourselves to no
good purpose and very probably moth
ing we could have done would have
helped Belgium. Only the cIearest
and most urgent national duty would
ever justify us in deviating from our
rule of neutrality and non4interfer-
ence.'
Since that time, my friends, we
have heard a deal of nonsense about
what the government ought to- have
done; but the common sense of Amer
lean citizenship will appraise these
criticisms at their just value.
American Diplomacy.
Some sensitive and nervous people
are alarmed lest we become the laugh
ing stock OF Europe. Let them be re-
assured. The diplomacy of the old |
world. in the light of the tragic events i
of the last two years, has little to com
mend it to the free people of this
country It is much more important
to know what America thinks Of the
craftsmanship of Europe than what
Europe thinks of the craftsmanship Of
America-
The Democratic Party is treading
he traditional path OF enlightened pol
Icy. II
Washington, in his farewell ad-
dress, expressed the hope that we may (
never unsheath the sword except in
self-defense, so long as Justice and our
rights and national respect
ability can be preserved without it,
s-Our President, spea king recently in
New York, expressed the same idea
when he said: Americans would not
seek contest or cravenIy avoid onesH
They would fight for the vindication of
their honor and Character for liberty
and for free institutions "A
I'VE are a peace loving people. we
are patient people; we, are a power
ful people and, let us hope, we are 3. Just
people. And any nation which has
the courage to avoid an unnecessary
- xxyf77 lao =, 4
lTighteous one.
The World Conflict.
1--WE may not be able to maintain
peace. NoHone can foresee what a dav
may bring forth. But this we know.
I'D to the present moment our Presi-l
lent has kept us out of this world conf
1ict If trouble comes we are I'm
neasurabIy better prepared for it than
we were year. ago. In the rnestter Of
war, perhaps the most important thing
II all, we are thousand per cent.
better off than we were when this
war began If the services of the
President have merely delayed the
1our Of our entry into the conflict,
america can never repay the debt it
ives him.
Away, say, with evil counsels of
mpatience. We must have the fair
less to appreciate that while we hego-sI
late there are millions Of our fellow {
'reatures to whom the war has chang
q the aspect OF the earth and imagery
If heaven -
The grave heaps and heart-trealxs.
he utter agony and despair of man
zind--sure1y these things should teach
IS humanity and forbearance and ma
fence We must make allowance for
hese unprecedented conditions and we
must not darken- that lone light that
Zines from 1iberty-loving America m
IN the troubled and desperate peoples
If the earth
Lincoln would have been moved to !
great compassion by a world in such !