The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-03-12
ARRAIGNS WILSON
Leading Berlin Paper Puts Response
biIlty on President.

believed to be the government view OF
the situation which developed i'm
mediately after the disclosure of the
| Zimmerman letter in relation to the
Mexican-Japanese alliance.
The remarkable article which, be-
yond all doubt, was inspired If not
written by the foreign secretary him
self, deepens still further the mystery
/ that has attached to the letter ever
since its publication, in part, in
| America became known here.
The Nord Deutsche Allgemeine
Zeitung concludes with the fiat asser
ton that no matter whether President
Wilson chooses war or peace, The shall
not make us deviate one hairs
| breadth from our road which we en-
tered upon February !"
The paper takes occasion to tell the
Americans they should thank heav-
en- as much as possible" for not be-
| ing a party to the war. 1t asserts
no vital American interest calls for
American entrance into the conflict.
1--WE still wish to avoid war with the
/ United States" says the governments
mouthpiece. IF America shares this
/ wish, then Mexico's knowledge of our
| offer shall be limited to what Presi-
dent Wilson's government itself pub
lished about it.
The article is headed Fair Deal
ing and reads as follows:
One word in President Wilson'S
| address strikes MS, fair dealing AS
| America desires it for itself, SO she is
ready to claim it for all humanity, fair
| dealing, justice, freedom to live, and
/ protection against organized wrong.
Our whole policy adopted toward
! America from first day of the war I'M
til the rupture OF diplomatic relations
! has been a struggle for fair deal, a
claim for justice and freedom to live,
and a defense against organized
wrong, coming from nation
which was forced by enyious adver-
| saries to fight.
but what was it that echoed from
across the water?
| mo sooner had the world confia-
grafton been kindled-a confiagration
intended to complete by fore the de-
struction of Germany, prepared by
! the political isolation of Germany
than the voice of an organized press
assiduously endeavored to rouse pub
lie opinion in the United States
against us.
President Wilson's government
placidly looked on, as established sea
law war was gradually abolished by
England,
but that is not all. This same
[ ,,-Lf ho1
ont Offering. any resistance, British
measures which made the whole trade
between America and us and between
America. and our neutral neighbors
the real victim Of British tyranny OF
the seas.--the same government is
sued protest after protest as soon as
We began 5s,l e repay England with like
President Wilson's government
acted thus, although it was well aware
of the fact that England. with her
brutal disregard, purposed nothing
else than slowly TO undermine our
forces-which she had not succeeded
in breaking by the force of arms
by a war of starvation against women
and children.
President Wilson claims for hui
mainly the freedom to live. To the
German people alone he denies the
right to that freedom.
AT the same time, the entire union
was transformed into one huge fac
tory of arms and ammunition. Not
only were the existing plants enlarged
but others which, in times OF peace
produced goods designed for peaceful
purposes, were transformed in order
to produce war material for Ger
many's enemies.
THE entire industry OF the people
which was completely untouched by
the horrors of the distant war, had
been turned into an enormous work
shop of death
And while the government of the
United States confirms this concep-
ton of neutrality, il claims from us
that we assume responsibility for the
safety OF the life or everyone of its
citizens who, in spite OF urgent warn
ing, invades the sea war zone.
Fair dealing for the whole world
except for Germany--that is the
main feature of President Wilson's
policy from beginning to end.
Thus the day came when after
the jeering refusal OF our peace offer.
the determination to begin unrestric.
ted submarine warfare was carried
Cu;.
zone last appeal for fair dealing
was made to President Wilson The
answer to 1t was the rupture to dip
iomatic relations, and further than
that, even an attempt on his part to
arouse all neutral powers against us.
Moreover, today the President de-
clares that Americas direct partici-
patton in the struggle is possible.
Tho sacrifices which we can bring
TO have peace with the United States
reach their limit when the mainten-
anco of our right to live and the vic
torious conduct of war for our ex-
istence-a war forced upon us-are
jeopardized.
No vital interest forces the presi-
dent to take action toward war.
The offer of an alliance to Next
co was planned on our part to be
made only after the American declara-
ton of war against us.
Even today we still wish to avoid
war with the United States.
IF America shares this wish, then