The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1917-06-09
MORE PRUSSIANISM

MOfE PhUSSItNo"
The Germans, seeing their submarine campaign waning in
its effectiveness, are proposing to add to its frightfulness. one
proposition is to give no quarter to crews but 10 snel hem
instead of permitting them to survive the wrecks OF the vessels
This is a proclaimed policy of one German faction In the war
They demand that this additional terrorism be added 10 'he
others, hoping it will terrorize men to such an extent that they
will not go on the vessels sent out. If it could be maze khoWh
that no one will be spared, but that men clinging to the NE
boats will be shelled, that is shot from the submarines, heh IL
will be all up, so say these military extremists.
When one reads of such propositions he may well Isl VIVA,
civilization is coming to as interpreted in Germanys so-canep
military necessity. To deny to men the rlght 10 escape Z"
at sea when the vessels are torpedoed from under them IS e
nying to men the last chance that under ordinary human con
diions we would give even to a dog.
Equally atrocious is the proposition to SINK ii hospitai
ships at sea. The fact that "a ship floats the flag II the reu
cross to indicate that it is bearing those who are no longer III
to fight, is not to make it immune. That is a proposluon ina
is even worse than the former. To deny to the SICK II 'e
wounded the rights of safe convoy exceeds all human GULL
prehension.
We are aware that the German defense of this proposed
step is the allegation that the Red Gross flag has been aDuseu'
that is the enemies have transported munitions and soldiers
under that banner. That is an allegation that may DE hauo !"
suit the purposes of the Teutons, but it is one that has not been
and that, let it be hoped, never can be proved. Ihere Is no recoru
of either the British or French transporting troops SUI
devices. They would be forever dlsgraced IL they d uon
uses of the Red Cross flag. Neither England nor france as
now constituted would resort to such trckery and we are sure
,hat the United States would not do so. There is still honor
among nations at war, even if Germany has MADE herseil III
capable of conceiving of such a thlng.
Ia the meantime, never permit yourself to forget about the
BED Cross. 1t is quite as important as any othef pfahch u 'r
service and the work, the actual hard work that the women OF
The land have already done in that service if counted up In
wages and salaries would be a staggering amount. Before they
get through they will have expended enough work to pay OH
mart of the national debt that is about to be created.
LET US NOT FOOL OURSELVES
With the rules and admOniions of the committee on pupllc
information with reference to printing items that may be use
full to the enemy, no patriotic newspaper will find serious
fault. for the rules laid down are in substance precisely those
every well meaning editor would lay down for himself. over
sights and mistakes of judgment may permit publication OF In
formation to which exception will be taken, but with the arter-
les of news dissemination officially supervised and censored
such unintentional slips are not likely to be numerous. There
is. however, constantly this danger; that the zeal OF the censor
shin TO keep information away from the enemy may result in
keeping our own people in the dark and, therefore, receptive
to all sorts of insidious gossip and false reports. we natur-
alv expect to keep ourselves fairly well posted as to the move
ments and the strength and weakness of the enemy, and 1T is
no concession to the efficiency of the German secret service for
us to proceed on the theory that the Germans will keep them
selves reasonably we'll posted as to what is doing over here.
The prospect of fooling the Germans by news restriction is
small where the dangerous consequences of fooling ourselves
an Ornaf