Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-02-03

commerce be left to its rightful
place. Even the American mails
have lost the protection which, as
sacred institution, they have received
in the past During the last few
days American newspapers disposed
to be neutral in their editorial policy,
have arrived in Berlin with the
editorial pages carefully cut out.
The physical needs of humanity have
no rights and place in any nations
list OF war contraband. least of all
the needs of neutral humanity.
Henry Ford is building a great hos
pital in Detroit To equip the hos
pital it was found necessary to pur-
chase quantities of surgical instlu-
mcnts in Germany. This was done,
but the Instruments must remain in
Holland because the British govern
ment will not permit their shipment
to the United States. In Holland
also repose quantities Of serum badly
needed in America, but which cannot
be sent out because Great Britain
will not permit it. Other violations
of neutral rights could be enumer-
ated to no end They are all impor-
tant as showing the apparent subju-
cation of American and other neutral
rights by Great Britain, but they are
more important as showing why the
German mind may well be perploxed
by the reluctance with which the
United States government accepts
any agreement insuring peace with
Germany. And herein lies the grain
of danger which, If not removed by
a policy of understanding and COM
mon sense, may yet defeat the wishes
of nj least the peoples of two great
nations TO remain in peace and keep
one great continent free of blood.
On the day that the relations be-
tween tho United States and Ger
many were announced as having been
restored to friendly basis. Ger
many, rejoicing, looked to the Wash
ington government to deal as vigor-
ously with England and to insist on
freedom OF the seas The view was
accepted that both nations had Of
tended against American rights, and
the further view was held that the
power which had violated the rights
Of human beings should be dealt
with before the power that had
violated the rights Of property. Ger
many, as the first offending power,
acQuiescod in the American demands,
or believed that she had done so un-
til this last interruption. England,
as the second offending power. on the
other hand, has apparently not only
ignored the American protestations,
but daily has become bolder until
now there arc no longer such things
as American national sovereignty
and American individual rights at
sea. 1t is well that the American
people should know the German
frame OF mind"
Simultaneous with the publication
of the above despatch from Berlin
the Presidents organ had the follow
ing leading editorial.
According to a Washington des-
patch to the (New York; Sun, Sen
ators and Representatives are puz-
zled over the alarmist utteranccs eX-
pressed in President Wilson's
speeches" In his official capacity n
partisan Senator or Representative
is capable Of being puzzled over any
thing the apple got into the
dumpling and why water does not
run uphill But IL is conceivable
that any OF these puzzled statesmen
is really puzzled? And what are the
alarmist utterances Of the President
which distress them so? VIC take it
for granted that every Senator and
Representative in the Congress OF
the United States knows, by hearsay
at least. that great war has been
in progress during the last eighteen
months, and that the United States
is tho only great power in the world
that has not yet been drawn into the
conflict. We take it for granted too
that all these eminent statesmen
have read in the public prints oc-
casional references to German sub
marine activities. to the sinking of
the Lusitania and to the diplomatic
controversies that are in progress be-
tween tho United States and various
belligerents respecting the safety of
neutral lives and property on the
hign seas in time Of war. We as
sumo that most Of these gentlemen
know that the relations between the
United States and one OF these bel
ligcrents have been critical for many
months. that nobody can foresee the
ultimate outcome of the negotiations
and that nobody can conjecture what
the after-effects will be Of the prcsi-
dents determined effort to maintain
American rights under international
law. Even partisan Congrossmcn
may be presumed to have ordinary
human intelligence The "alarmist
utteranccs" which disturb some of
these gentlemen so much consist in
plain recitals of the present state Of
the foreign relations of this country,
with reminders that while the Prcsi-
dent is expected to preserve peace
and uphold the national honor, the
time may come when he cannot do
both, owing to external aggression
over which he can have no control.
A Senator or Representative who is
puzzled" by such "alarmist utter
ances" might be equally puzzled by
the alphabet or the multiplication
table Tho President is asking the
country not to be caught unprepared
If worse comes to worst and not to
wait until it Is too late before pro-
viding for a national defense such as
this war makes necessary as n
measure of public safety. He is not