New Britain herald., 1916-08-11
AN ENIGMA.

It is assum cd on the part of DOT tion of the populace, that Mr. Hughes, had he been president, would have found a way to prevent the sinking of the Lusitania. He says, In his critt- cism of the administration, that there was "ample, even published warn ing" By this the followers of Roose- welt, those who have all along de-
 nanded a stronger attitude toward Germany believe MT Hughes would have gone to war to prevent this deed. His doctrine of dominant American ism,' Is taken to mean just that. The German-Americans, however, through their newspapers in this country, hold 10 such view. They look at the question the other way round. They think MT. Hughes would have pre- vented the sinking of the vessel by is- suing an order from the White House forbidding all American citizens from taking passage on the vessel. Native Americans have held that such a course would have been in violation of their rights that the high seas are l open to all neutral passengers travel | ing on merchant vessels, of which the | Lusitania was one
 Before election day wheels around there are some salient points that should be cleared up if the Lustania instance is to be dragged into the
 
 badly misguided by the yelled utter ances of MT. Hughes. He intimates that such catastrophe would not have happened under his administra- tion, but as is his method, he fails to show just how he would have pre- vented 1t. For the benefit of all con- cerned, the German Americans and others, he should strike straight to the point and not leave two roads, either one of which admits of an answer. Either MT. Hughes wouIdi have order ed Americans off the Lusitan1a, end thus have prevented the sinking, or he would have taken more drastic methods What these methods are no one knows, unless he would have reprimanded Am bassador von Bern storff immediately upon publication of the 'warning," thus dragging the United States into with Ger many. The situation is up in the air. There is no explaining MT. Hughes stand when both sides can explain
 I~ opposed to the German-American view, can interpret MT. Hughes ex- planation and find solace there must be something wrong. Especially is this so when the German-Americans who will never forgive the colonel for his denunctation of "hyphenates find m eaning that is satisfactory to them in the Hughes attitude. This is the both sides and consoles rival camps. Obviously some one is being misled l It may be Col. Roosevelt. It may be 1 the Gernlan-American alliance. The l point should be made clear The colo nel has a right to know just what his l candidate would have done, and if he would have abandoned all American rights by ordering the passengers off | the Lusitania, the colonel cannot con- | scientiously support MT. Hughes. The | German-Americans, too, have a right to know what MT. Hughes would have 1 done, and if he would have consented | to American citizens enjoying their rights by travelling on a belligerent ship, they cannot scrupulously agree
 with man opposed to their estab- lished views. Especially since in this stand MT. Hughes would be but carry
 ing out the Wilson policy. The only
 way he could better the actions of
 Woodrow Wilson would be by deal | ing more firmly and consistently'' | with Germany, which, to the German | American way of thinking would
 never do. Truly, Mr. Hughes has
 some explanation to make