Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-10-18
WHAT EVERY AMERICAN OUGHT
TO KNOW.

NaHldSe Oh lnG OnlLcu States may
seem strange to those people whose
opinions are formed for them by the
Tory press. To the wen informed,
however, this fact has been patent
from the very start Of the U-boat cru
sade. The jacksonville, Florida,
Times, in an editorial unusual for
its depth and comprehensiveness de-
fined the real issues involved in the
submarine controversy. President
Wilson seems to demand that Ger
many cease to use submarines"
states the Florida Times. AS we
recollect it the submarine was first
used by the Confederates and among
the nations now existing the United
States was the first to build one. At
the outbreak of the war Great Brit
ain had 90; France, 93 Russia, 43;
Germany, 80, and Austria-Hungary
IA. The United States at that time
had So. So Germany, instead of taxi
ing the lead in the use of vessels of
this class had fewer of them than
any other strong European Power
except her ally. Austria-Hungary
and had only two-thirds as many as
the United States.
Gas to the use Of the submarine to
attack merchant vessels, these are
the facts: The British Government
gave notice on February 2, 1915, that
all shipments of foodstuffs to Ger
many would be considered contra
band. These were not contraband by
international law, which permitted
the shipment OF foodstuffs Tor the
civilian population. Great Britain
had not the shadow of a right to
change International law. She treated
foodstuffs as contraband because she
claimed the power to do so. Any in
reference with trade is an interfer-
ence with he rights Of two nations,
for one cannot buy unless the other
sells. Germany bought from the
United States the gle eater part OF the
foodstuffs she imported, so this an
nouncement by the British Govern
ment was an announcement to Ger
many, You shall not buy foodstuffs
from the United States or from any
other country separated from you by
the sea- At the same time it was
an announcement to the United
States and all countries separated
from Germany by the seas: You
shall not sell foodstuffs to Germany.
Cotton was treated as contraband
later, but Great Britain began on
foodstuffs. The rights OF Germany
and the United States were mutual
and Great Britain was denying both
The United States should not have
waited for anyone else to defend the
rights of American citizens, but
should have said to Great Britain:
We will not permit you to interfere
with the legal rights of the American
people, Great Britain would have
ceased snch interference if she had
known the United States would not
permit It, 5u. the United States took
no prompt action but later pro-
tested.
but Germany was prompt. Two
days after Great Britain's announce
ment she made hers that she would
destroy all enemies merchant vessels
in the waters around the British
Isles. She made it in retaliation for
Great Britain's act in making food
contraband and in doing so she was
championing the cause oft hose who
wished to sell the food as well as
those who wished to buy it. What
ever may have been her motives she
was championing the cause Of the
United States as well as that of Ger
ernment of the United States pro-
tested more vehemently and more
persistently against Germany's effort
to secure the rights of her people
and incidentally the rights of the
people of the United States than
against the violation of the rights of
the people of the United States.
"The submarine blockade, which,
incidentally, resulted in the death Of
few hundred men and women, was
denounced as brutal--as violation
OF all the instincts of humanity-but
nothing was said of the British order
which was designed for the purpose
of starving sixty million non-com-
batants in Germany--mostly women
and children. The fact that the effort
failed does not detract from the in
humanity )f its purpose.
Germany agreed and has con-
tinued to agree to abandon her sub
marine warfare against merchant
vessels if Great Britain would aban-
don her prohibition of the import of
foodstuffs into Germany Remember
that there . not one single solitary
man on earth who denied that Great
Britain was guilty of an Illegal act
in prohibiting the import of food
stuffs into Germany With the pur-
pose solely of acting for her own
people who wished to buy foodstuffs,
but necessarily acting also for the
American people who wished to sell
them, Germany offered to give up
her submarine blockade if Great
Britain would permit Americans and
others to sell her food. AS already
stated the interests of Germany and
the United States were mutual and
/ Great Britain was acting in antagon-
ism to these interests, but the Gov
ernment at Washington, instead of
protecting American rights, took a
stubborn stand against the nation
that was trying to enforce them.
When it did this it betrayed one
hundred million Americans to Great
Britain and inflicted on the people
OF he United States an irreparable
injury.
''rhe Administration in siding
with Great Britain against Germany
in this case, is also siding with Great