Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-02-03
THE RULER OF THE WAVES

LhL NuLLN VI 1aE WAVES
The shoe is on the other foot. A
while ago the United States was com
planning and approaching the verge
OF war, on account of German aggre-
slons against our neutral rights. To-
DAY our complaints are directed
against Great Britan-and they ara
complaints in which practically every
other neutral nation in the world is
joining.
British naval power, under the
stress of war necessity" is proving
itself just as obnoxious to peaceful
nations, and as contemptuous of the
rights of non belligerents, as it did in
the early lsoo's, when. as the Boston
Hlobe remarks: England pitched
pretty much all the rulers OF. Europe
INTO the arms of Napolean, not be-
cause they loved Napoleon, but be-
cause they hated England for cut
ting off their sea borne commerce in
her hostile measures against the
French -
England is today in effect forbid
ding the United States to trade with
any other nations except the British
empire and it's allies 1t has presum-
ed evenato Interfere with an. in Ger.
tam instances stop our trade with
South America. 1t is forbiddng the
exercise of our unquestioned legal
right to supply foodstuffs and cloth
ing for the non combatant popula-
tlons of the Central powers. Going
much further than that, it is serious
iy restricting our trade with the neu-
tral European powers OF Norway.
Sweden, Denmark and Holland, while
at the same time England's S own mer-
chants are protiting by supplying
those countries with the commodities
they are forbidden to purchase of US.
Our ships are stopped on the high
seas, members of the crew and pas
sengers are arbitrarily seized. Even
our mails to neutral countries. in
every previous war regarded as inviO-
late, are taken over by the British
censors to deal with as they see fit.
Little wonder that in both houses of.
congress-, aud in!the American press
without regard to war sympathies and
prejudlces, the demand is being voic.
ed, with increasing seriousness, for
measures that will protect our SOW
ereignty and call England to account.
The same complaints we are max
ing Sweden is making. And Sweden
has pot only adopted drastic meas
ures OF relations, but the king has
summoned the parliament to provide
immediately for strengthening the
military establishments SO that the
little northern Kingdom, If driven to
it, can protect It's honor and it's inde-
pendence by force of arms.
Greece has complaints on other and
even more serious grounds. Its neu-
trality is trampled under foot, even
as was that of Belgium Its territory
IS seized, It's government is threaten !.
ed and browbeaten, and there are
plaln evidences of plots under way
to overthrow the government. Ii
present tendencies continue, the fate
of Greece promises to be like that Of
Belgium extinction at the hands Of
the power that in the beginning Of
the war asserted it was taking up the
sword to assert and defend the integ-
rity of the little nations.
Germany in the beginning struck
at France Though Belgium, violating
Belgium neutrality on the ground OF
military necessity. England led in
the righteous world chorus of con-
domination. Today England is doing
that for which it aud the neutral ma
tlons condemned Germany then
tramplng an international! law and
neutral rights ruthlessly under foot.
Aud the same world sentiment that
in the earlier days was directed
against Germany is now Obliged to
make England it's target. The world
is learning that naval power is quite
as dangerous as military power, more
dangerous, indeed, in that it has the
lamar a III !, ii ~ .