The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1916-04-20

iCuu Ntootl Cuhhiub WIS ulluthth uhu
crippled by n German aeroplane. On
the LIST OF May the American vessel
Gul1ight was torpedoed and sunk by a
German submarine and two or more
Americans were killed, yet nothing was
Zone. On the 7th OF May the Lusita.
MIA was torpedoed and sunk by n Ger
man submarine and more than 100
Americans and 1,100 other noncom-
batnnts 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 oil America was stirred to the
depths, our government addressed an.
other note TO Germany. IL repeated
Its assertion OF American rights and
renewed its bold declaration Of pur.
pose. IL declared again that the Amer
lean government must hold the i'm
perial German government &c q strict
accountability for any infringement Of
those rights. Intentional or incidental"
and II declared that II would not "omit
any word or any act necessary TO tho
performance OF It's sacred duty OF main
taining the rights OF the United States
and It's citizens and OF safeguarding
their free exercise and enjoyment"
still nothing was done and a long
and technical correspondence ensucd.
hnggling over petty questions OF de-
tail. every American note growing less
and less strong and poremptory until
The Arnblc was torpcdoed aud sunk
and more American lives were destroy.
ed. and still nothing was done. and
the correspondence continued until the
allied defense against German submn.
rlne warfare made II Improbable and
led 90 It's abandonment. nnd the cor.
rcspondcncc X apparently approaching
its end without securing oven that par
tlnl protection for the future which
might be found IN an admission that
the destruction OF the Lusltnnil was
forbidden by law. Tho later CORE
spondcnco has boon conducted by our
state department with dlgnny. but it
has been futile. An admission OF lin.
blllty for damages has been secured,
but the time for real protection 70
American rights han long since passed
The brave words with which we he
gan the controversy had produced no
effect. because they. were read IN the
light OF two extraordinary events
One was the report OF the Austrian
ambassador. Mr. Dumba. 20 his gov.
crnmont that when the American not"
OF Feb. 10 was received he asked th
secretary OF state. Mr.. Bryan. whcthc
Il meant business and received an an
swer which satisfied him that II did
not but was intended for effect at
homo In America.
"Too Proud 20 Fight"
The other event was the strange aud
unfortunate declaration OF the presi.
dent IN n public speech IN Philadelphia
the fourth day after the sinking OF
the Lusitania that "a man may bc too
proud 10 night" Whatever the Aus.
trian ambassador was IN fact told by
the secretary Of state. the impression
which he reported was supported by
the events which followed. Whatever
the president did mean. his declaration,
made In public nj that solemn time.
amid the horror and mourning OF all
our people over the murder OF their
children. was accepted the world over
as presenting the attitude OF the Amer.
lean government toward the protect an
OF the life and liberty OF American
citizens In the exercise OF their Just
rights, and throughout the world the
phrase too proud TO fight" became a
byword OF derlslon and contempt for
the government OF the United States.
Later. In another theater OF war-the
Medlterranean-Austria. and perhaps
Turkey ALSO. resumed the practice.
The Ancona and then the Persia were
destroyed and more Americans were
killed. Why should they not resume
the practiceg They had learned 10 be-
lieye that. no matter how shocked the
American government might be, Its
resolution would expend itself In
words They had learned 20 believe
that IL was safe 10 XIII Americans. and
the world believed with them.
Shaking Fist and Finger.
No man should draw a pistol who
dhreS not shoot The government that
shakes its fist first and Its finger after
ward falls into contempt Our diplo-
macy has lost its authority and infiu-
ence because we have been brave In
words and irresolute In action. Men
may say that the words OF our diplo-
matte notes were justified; men may
say that our tnaction was justified. but
no man can say that both We're wise
and creditable.
have said that this government lost
the moral forces OF the world by not
truly interpreting the spirit or the
American democracy.
The American democracy stands for
something more than beef and cotton
and grain and manufactures; stands
for something that cannot be measured
by rates OF exchange and does not rise
or fall with the balance OF trade. The
American people. informed by their