The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1916-03-16

not been made, when we sec that con
struction OF warships already author.
ized has not been pressed and IN some
cases after long delay has not even
been begun?
II an increase Of our c0untry's power
10 defend itself against aggression Is
authorized by the present congress II
must be largely through Republican
votes. because all the traditions and
convictions of that party are for ma.
tional 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
4 lives OF innocent passengers our gov
ernment on the 10th Of February one
/ year ago informed Germany In unmis-
4 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 2Sth of March the passenger
steamer Falaba was torpedoed by a
German submarine and an American
citizen was killed. but nothing was
done. On the 2Sth Of April the Amer
ican vessel Gushing was attacked and
crippled by a German aeroplane. On
the lst of May the American vessel
Gulhight 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 l 100 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
its assertion of American rights and
renewed its bold declaration Of pur-
pose. 1t declared again that the Amer
lean government must hold the i'm
perial German government to strict
accountability for any infringement of
those rights. intentional or incidental"
and it declared that ii would not omit
.ana.word or any net necessary TO the
performance Of its sacred duty of main-
tanning the rights of the United States
and its citizens and of safeguarding
their free exercise and enjoyment"
Still nothing was done and 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 torpedocd 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
tial protection for the future which
might be found in an admission that
the destruction OF the Lusitania was
by law. The later CORE
spondence has been conducted by our .
state department with dignity, but II !,
has been futile. An admission Of liza
bilty for damages has been secured,
but the time for real protection to
American rights has long since passed.
The brave words with which we be-
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 !
Mr.. Dumba to his gov
,rnment that when the American note
1f Feb. 10 was received he asked the
secretary Of state. Mr.. Bryan. whether y
{ meant business and received an an II
,wer which satisfied him that 1t did q
lot, but was intended for effect at
lome In America. y
TOO Proud to Fight :,
The other event was the strange and q,
declaration OF the presi 6
lent in public speech in Philadelphia b
he fourth day after the sinking OF n,
he Lustania that IA man may be too ID
,roud to fight" Whatever the Aus "
rian ambassador was in fact told by W
he secretary Of state. the impression q
which he reported was supported by Il
he events which followed Whatever t'
he president did mean, his declaration. ty
made in public at that solemn time tJ
mid the horror and mourning of all b,
ur people over the murder Of their =
hildrcn. was accepted the world over fc
. presenting the attitude OF the Amer VI
.an government toward the protection oi
Z the life and liberty Of American u
itizens in the exercise Of their just B
ights. and throughout the world the q
irase TOO proud 10 fight" became g
yword II derisiou and contempt for
he government Of the United States q.