New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-07
THE BELLICERENTS COMPARED
Sober and Defects by One Who Cannot
Hate Any of Them-Cuely Peculiar to No Naton-lhe
Present State of the World Discouragng

sailors are said to have stood upon the decks
of our battleships, with the Stars and Stripes
waving above them and jeered at the drown
ing Spaniards and cried aloud, LET the devils
drowni" What noble commanders we nave
/ if such were really the facts, The bad taste
and unfeeling hearts of men and women VINO
can shoot at effigies of Allied soldiers at a
German bazaar is mild in comparison. why
do we rage at the brutal and beastly German
soldiers for raping Belgian women when IT IS
said that the treatment Of Philippine women
by our American soldiers is too disgusting
and horrible to ever come into print? Why
do we forget Ben Buffers occupation Of New
Orleans and Sherman's march through
Georgia, and the helish attempt Of Southern
fends to burn alive helpless and innocent
women and children in the theatres of New
York?
To me the condition of the world is mos,
Encouraging in spite of what optmists may
say. | suppose, however. the world does be-
come trife better as each century goes by
Christianity seems TO make slow progress
and our civilization seems but veneer. Each
nation shouts that it is in the right and prays
: to God only for itself and those upon its side
Kaiser Wilhelm has always claimed a special
intimacy with God, though | believe some
surprises are in store for him.
America should be the most glorious coun-
try on earth ! like to think that it is How.
ever. right or wrong. | am, like Decatur, for
my country. | stand for preparedness and
heartily approve Of the sentiment expressed
by a jolly tar Of our navy A few years ago
After our highly efficient Secretary of tho
Navy gave forth his dctum that our sailors
should no longer warm their hearts and cheer
their souls with glass of beer aboard ship a
friend OF mine met sailor from battesh ID
in barroom one night enjoying a glass OF
beer. This isn't much like the old DAYS OF
John Paul Jones with YOU men," said my
friend. when our sailors fought stripped "a
the waist with a barrel of rum in the centre
of the deck. and licked everything in sight
NO, by God,' replied the tar; I'm them days
we had iron men and wooden ships, ard now
we have iron ships and wooden men." His
remark may not De literally true but +,
shows how the mon of our navy rejoice in
their distinguished chief
| sometimes wonder if no one notices the
effect that grape juice has upon men-regard
Bryan, Daniels. Henry Ford and all that noble
army of martyrs. Range beside them those
wicked tipplers George Washington. Thomas
Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore
Roosevelt-and size up the men Why has
Marjorie Sterrett cocktail, with good kick
IN Il? There Is more real pep" and true
Americanism in that little Brooklyn school
girl than in half our officials at Washington.
She stands with Captain John Parker. Of Lex
ington, both in spirit and in truth She
doesn't want war any more than did Cap
tain Parker and the men he had drilled COR
months 20 be prepared if trouble came. and
every true-blue American should have his
same spirit and attitude when he said that
April morning to his men, drawn up on Lex
ington Common: Don't fire unless fired upon.
but If they mean to have war let it begin
here"
That was and is the real American spirit.
and If a little more OF il were shown to the
few German traitors within our borders al
the present time we should win more respect
from the rest of the world than We now pos
scss and also feel more pleased with our
selves
AN AMERICAN OF THE MARJORIE STER.
RETT BELIEF.
New York, April >, 1916.