TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1916-05-30

upon ~ England rs a joke until lhe
"Lusitania' went down. then the howl
that arose had in il a note Of terror
and dread as well as OF rage. The LII
sitaniap was constructed under SUPER
vision OF officers OF the Royal Navy,
was on the list OF the British Admiralty
as an auxiliary cruiser. subsidized by
the British government. Whether it
had It's guns or not is immaterial, the
German government not being supposed
TO know II British war-ships carry their
cannon with them all the time. There
might have been in the hold enough
lguns 70 equip a dozen auxiliary cruis-
ers. As we'll claim a soldier TO be non
combatant because he happens to have
his pistol inside his shirt. As a matter
OF fact only one torpedo hit the "Lusi-
tania," and the rapid sinking OF the ship
was due TO the explosion Of the enor-
nous quantity Of munitions of war the
vessel carried. IL the presence Of one
neutral" American who fancies TO yoy-
age on such q ship could operate to rem
der said ship immune from attack, then
any British ship loaded with enough
munitions to destroy the entire German
army could insure It's safety by the sim
pie expedient Of carrying an American,
because he, forsooth, has a right under
international law to take passage.
There is no difference between the
| Washington and Berlin governments
that cannot be amicably adjusted. Amer
lea has told Germany she would, in the
diplomatic way, try TO prevent England
from a further abuse OF naval war
fare: If Americas note to England is
not satisfactory, il may be repeated. On
England's attitude alone depends the
German modification Of submarine war
fare.
Under the rules Of international law
the United States has the right to man
ufaeture and sell munitions to which
ever OF the belligerents she pleases. She
breaks no law except IN permitting Eng
hSb and allied experts, having official
status SCTfh their governments, to super
intend in this country the output. The
question is one Of morals, only. Condi-
tons are such, that to sell munitions to
the Allies, is equivalent to taking a very
important part in the wal for the Allies
and against Germany, while apparently
being neutral Without doubt the in
fux OF gold, even in the form of Ameri-
can securities, is very gratifying TO
American manufacturers, but why not
make money honestly by developing
South American trade? The talk of the
moralization Of the American people has
led us to believe u people to be actu-
ated by the highest ethical laws, which
belief the present situation docs not
warrant. The gold received is stained
with blood. All our governmental war
proclamations for decades have abound
ed in phrases about morality" and thu
manity." Have the munition makers
and dealers a graft in Washington?
What e~mbargocs have been placed in
Nicaragua and Mexico were for the
benefit Of the side we wanted to see
win. Humanity and morality have moth
ing 10 do with our manipulation and
sale of explosives. The law allows it,
so take your pound of hesh.-and the
blood that goes with il. Kill the Teu-
tons in dense masses because the law
allows it. However, History will record
our conduct rs vile %chicanery, and ac-
cuse Us of o~bliquity of vision,-moral
vision. We are doing the maximum Of
damage to Germany and its allies, and a
state Of war de fdefo could not be
worse for them.
The only safe plan to follow, to main
tain absolute neutrality. is to place ar
embargo upon all munitions so as TO
utterly prevent their expectation. No
patriotic American will engage in the
dirty business, much less think the bless
ings of God fall upon him through an
atmosphere highly charged with moral
ity. And the Germans would be in the
last stages Of driyeling idiocy if they
did not try to sink every load of Amer
ican-made war material, regardless OF
conditions due to international law. If
the moral law is above international law,
it should act 10 place an embargo on
the expectation Of munitions made in
America; if the laws governing the
struggle of a nation for existence come
before international law, they should
act to sustain the German submarine
warfare TO the last moment. Were the
case reversed and America attacked by
the whole world in arms, we would use
every means now known to science, and
new means yet to be invented, to keep
our enemies from obtaining munitions,
regardless of international law.
The fuss about Americans having a
right to sail safely under the British
flag is straining at a gnat, and the sell
ing of munitions to the Allies is swal-
lowing a camel.
The moral code that permits Us to in
lure the Germans without declaring war
was derived from the English, and is
part of our inheritance from the Puri-
fans. 1t was the greatest calamity that
ever befell North America when the
Puritans settled in Massachusetts,. From
the Puritans we have procured the great
American idea of making every thing
as disagreeable as hades for e1ery body,
the taking Of our pleasures sadly lest
Joy should be indicative of sin, the
mounting of a meaningless optimism
that is synonymous with hypocrisy.
Puritanism leads our people to acts Of
moral turpitude that would make a.
White Mountain Apache shudder.
When Attila invaded France in 45l,
he obtained unobstructed passage of the
Rhine through the invitation and aid of
a Frankish king. Had Attila conquered
at Chalons, the chief who solicited his
aid against the Roman and Visigothic
forces would have gone down in his
tory as the real author of the destruc-
ton of Greco-R Roman civilization,-the
traitor within the gates. See how his
tory repeats itself. For purposes Of her
own England brings the noble Japanese