Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-04-11

tic. Once again he wants to send word
| to Germany that she must not do 1t.
| Mark the words, must not As 4 re-
| suit OF the presidents new indignation
over an old matter we were again said
| to he ON the verge of war with for
eign power.
1t used to be the boast Of certain pol
iticians that Wilson had at least kept
us out of war. 1t should be said more
truthfullS that no man could have
brought us to more "verges" Of war
than Woodrow Wilson has done. II
we had had a stronger man in the
presidents chair a man who knew his
own mind at least over night and who
could speak words that would have the
ring OF authority and carry the weight
of the United States with them, we
would never have had these Irritating
debates with foreign powers. As It is
we are reduced to the status of scold-
ing school boys and whatever We may
say amounts to nothing in the world.
Who is going to take us seriously now
after q year of wordy wrangling in
which we have changed our own minds
a dozen times? Wilson has received
one promise after another and the rui-
ers who make the promises proceed di-
rectly to do the contrary things. To
go to war now. or even to the verge"
is a bit of nonsense. The fighting in
Europe will soon be over and so far as
we are concerned we can not very well
descend any lower in prestige abroad.
We might as well pocket the rest OF
our humiliations realizing that we are
filled to the throat with them already.
THE ROOSEVELT INFLUENCE.
ISioux City JournaLl
Roosevelts are q common product in
Germany. and they are taken with
seriousness of which we should never
dream. But if we could conceive Of
situation in Washington In which
President Wilson and Secretary Ian
sing were morbidly sensitive to all
Roosevelt criticism against the admin
istration's foreign policy and were con-
tinually trying to adjust that policy to
meet such criticism, the situation
would be not unlike that which exists
in Germany today.-New York World.
If the World finds difficulty in per-
ceiving in Washington Just such an
actual situation as it has described
Alphabetically. it is a difficulty which
IS not met at this angle of vision Out
this way It seems perfectly plain that
shap ping the policies of the Wilson ad-
ministration than all the democratic
leaders put together.
President Wilson and Secretary
Lansing undertook to develop a policy |
of their own on the armed merchant
men question. In the Lusitania ne
gotiations they became impressed with |
the injustice of requiring a German !
raj
without warning armed ships which /;
could destroy a submarine promptly |
on being notified OF dts presence with |
in range Washington told Berlin II !
was iudisposed to insist on immunity |
for armed merchantmen. 1t invited the |
allies to disarm their merchantmen in |
return for securing immunity from at |
tack without warning. AS an induce
,uent for the allies to disarm their mer- !
chant ships, Washington indicated that !
armed merchantmen calling at Amer |
lean ports might be treated as war
ships All this meant a logical read |
justnent OF the American position IN !
view Of the latter day changes In naval /
warfare incident to introduction OF the !
|
Notwithstanding the plain disclosure !
of their position on this issue. Presi-
dent Wilson ami Secretary Lansing
are now ready to risk war with Ger
many II her submarine commanders 90
not warn armed merchant ships before |
attempting 10 destroy them. The VIII
n-IIansing policy was abanooneu
lust as soon as Colonel Roosevelt ana
mis- supporters began 70 talk about tho !
Welding OF traditional American rights
m the high seas and the alleged en-
iorsement Of the slaughter Of women
and children.
It's experience with the armed snip
question has served as lesson to the
1t has not since at
tempted to run counter 10 the wishes
OF Roosevelt in any foreign policy. /
The u. s. or Villa?
THE danger OF complications is in |