Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-10-31

The following open letter has been
sent to President Wilson by "The
American Rights League" Of which
George Haven Putnam is president OF
the New York branch, Booth Tarking-
ton president of the Indianapolis
branch, and William Roscoe Thayer
president Of the Boston branch:
President Wilson.
Sir:-The undersigned, members of
the American Rights League. express
ing as they believe the opinion not
only of the League but Of a great mass
of American citizens, have during the
past two years found ground for deep
and increasing concern at the failure
Of the Administration to do its duty in
maintaining the rights Of neutrals. TN
defending the rights of non-com-
batants. and in protecting the lives OF
American citizens. The recent exploits
Of German submarines in waters close
to our own shore, involving the UNI
warranted destruction Of neutral ship
ping and the turning adrift in open
boats of innocent passengers and non
combatant crews, revives an issue of
gravest concern to the American peo-
pie.
We cannot forget that 1t was the
failure of the Administration to take
prompt and decisive action at the in
ception of Germany's illegal and. inhu-
man submarine warfare which caused
negotiations to drag along for many
bitter and humiliating weeks, during
which, to use your own words, the lives
Of non -combatant, passengers and
crews were destroyed wholesale with
out the slightest color of justification,
and the roll of Americans who lost
their lives grew month by month until
the ominous toll mounted into the hum
dreds. We are painfully conscious Of
the practical certainly that a renewal Of
the policy of temporizing with sub
marine outrages will increase the toll
of death and dishonor which that policy
has already cost the nation. With the
Lusitania massacre still unatoned for,
although seventeen months have
passed since you demanded prompt
disavowal and reparation," the Ameri-
can people are in no mood to tolerate
any further sacrifice of American
honor.
We have patiently awaited some Of
flcial expression Of your disapproval Of
the recent submarine activities off our
coast. We respectfully submit that the
circumstances of those activities de-
mand prompt and incisive action rath-
er than silent acquiescence in method
Of warfare you have Justly denounced.
You condemned the German submarine
policy because "vessels of neutral own
ership have been destroyed
along with vessels of belligerent own
ership"; yet precisely that policy is be-
ing pursued almost within sight of our
shores. You condemned the disposing
of passengers and crews of torpedoed
vessels by vouchsaflng them 1.-THE poor
security of being allowed to take to the
ships boats before the ship was sent
to the bottom;" yet precisely this
attacks, Shall the same illegal and in
human acts against which you have so
often protested be performed with i'm
punity at our very doors?
The spectacle of American war ves-
sells cooperating with German SUBJ
marines, to the end that the very meth
DDS Of warfare you have condemned
may be carried on without unnecessary
murder, - deeply humtliating to every
American having due regard for the
national honor. The assumption that
the American government must lie
supine, while neutral rights are fla
gravity assailed and the dictates of
humanity insolently fouted, until at
least one more American citizen is
killed, Is repulsive to every instinct of
right and of Justice. This is the way of
danger and dishonor. You have your
self pointed the only path to safety
with honor when in the words that fol-
low you called for the absolute aban-
donment Of submarine warfare:
"The use OF submarines for the des.
truction of an enemy's commerce is Of
necessity, because of the very charac-
ter Of the vessels employed and the
very methods of attack which their en-
ployment Of course involves, utterly in
compatible with the principles Of hu-