Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-03-14
STRONG FOR PEACE.

friend. Chas. S. Reid, OF Woodbury.,
Ca, who takes issue with us in the
matter OF the nlibustcr in our Ma
,onal Congress whereby the will Of
the majority was thwartcd by the
tactics OF "talking to death meas
urn rather than letting the matter
come to a vote to be decided by the
whole Of the representatives OF the
nation Our friend misconStrues us,
however. when he draws from what
we said the conclusion that we arc
STRONG for war" AS Il matter Of
Iact. we are strong for peace and Il
whole skin" just rs Mr.. Reid is
strong for it, but we would add, with
0ur national rights preserved intact.
and with honor maintained. Ger
7ninly we have no longing for war
with Germany. nor with any OF the
others Of the hclliGcrcnt nations; and
OF all things that are certain nothing
is more sure than that We hold no
a'gnmcnt nor feeling or prejudice III
British favor, II there be such Il
thing As absolute neutrality possible,
wc believe that we have about as
near the genuine article as any man.
20 our minds. ENGLAND and Germany
are the chicf offenders against Amer
lean rights on the seas, and their Of
lenses differ only in the manner OF
execution. Recently we noted that
b,I.
flied against Great Britain with the
washington government for inrrac-
tiOnS OF International laws to the dct-
I,m"nt OF American citizens inter
'HtS, and pr0tcSt alter protest has
been lilcu by our government for re-
Sirictions and abridgmcnts or our
rights on the seas. This is the natu-
raj course for such matters to take.
Ihc right OF visit and search is "A rec
oEnized rule Of warfare on the sea.
and for injury or loss growing out OF
the practice Of this rule the cstab-
HShrd method OF redress Is present
protest and later settlement for dam
ages sustained. The difference be-
tween our grievances with Britain
and Germany lies in the lattcr's sub
stltution of unwarncd destruction for
the principle Of visit and search. with
possible confiscation Of cargo and, if
necessary, destruction Of vessel.
Against the ruthless submarine
policy Of the German government,
which makes no distinction between
hclligcrent and neutral shipping and
travel on the seas. 1t seems to us
there is but one redress, and that Is
the adoption OF defensive measures.
There is. however. an alternative,
ana that is the relinquishing OF our
iithtS as nation 20 use the trade
lanes OF the open sens. We do not
hciicNc such a course to be either
wise or worthy OF Il nation whose one
greatest prcrOgativc has ever been to
stand for the rights aAd liberties OF
individuals and nations.
Mir. Reid iavors an embargo on
ioodStufs. We. too. are Of the opin-
ion that it is getting near the time
"hen an embargo should be placed
upon the expectation OF foodStuTs to
the nations ut war The situation is
%ctiin" critical in our own country,
ana We must---and doubtless our GOV
''hmcht Will-look to the interests
OF our own people rs against those Of
lhc warning nations. regardless OF
what nation il helps or hurts. The
people OF our cities are beginning: to
suffer from the food shortage, and
Inc embargo. we hclievc. will not
long be held OF. But would not
'her" be untold suffering all over
me South to-day if, at the opcuiny or
hostilitics in Europe. our government
had placed an embargo on cotton?
would not the price OF this, tho
South's great staple, have gone to
such low levels that the result would
have spelled ruin. suffering and n de-
gree Of scmi-Starvation all over the
Snnth? We shipped cotton to Ger
many so long as the Germans could
get 1t. Our markets were then oDcn
to Germany, and would he to-day if
German shipping could reach our
shores. The establishment Of an
"nndcrsca commercial lane" proved
this. Their submarines entered our
ports, discharged cargocs and re-
turned with cargoes to their own
country. They were welcomed, and
the German ingenuity and persevcr-
ance and high quality OF bravery that
made possible their visits to our