Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1917-02-12
AND PATRIOTISM.
The World shouts for war in the in
terest Of EneIand the American
counselA sanity in the interest
OF the Dnitrd States.


The New York World, one OF the
big metropolitan newspapers which
for the last thirty months have been
sewing the seed Of animosity toward
the Central Empires and whose edi-
torial staffs arc said TO be honey
combed with British subjects ana
lropagandists. says in its issue OF
February o under the caption "This
is War;
Technically the United States and
Germany are not at war They have
only severed diplomatic relations.
But actually Germany is deriving all
the military advantage that could be
gained from war with the United
States without mourning the penal
ties or disabilities German submar-
ines arc ruthlessly sinking ships
without warning and making no in
quiries into the nationality OF their
victims American shipping is held
in port. American ship-owners are
afraid to sail the seas lest vessels and
cargoes be destroyed and passengers
and crews murdered. The United
States is worse than blockaded, for
blockade is conducted In accordance
with the recognized rules of war
iarc. A blockading feet does not
sink merchant ships without warn
ing, nor does it massacre helpless
non-combatants nor does 1t seek for
victims among women and children.
There 10 law Of blockade, but there
is M law Of ruthless submarine war
fare against commercial shipping
Our ship-owncrs are doing the will
Of the German Government. They
are taking the orders bf the German
Government Germany much prefers
that American ships should romain
tied UP in their home ports. That
saves German commanders the trou-
bic OF destroying them and accomp-
fishes in the easiest possible way the
purpose Of the submarine decree.
But how long viii the American peo-
pie forcgo all their rights on the
seasY How long will they passively
submit to q reign Of terror2 How
long will they try to deceive them
selves into believing that Germany
is not making war upon the United
States2 What We now call peace is
not peace II is merely non-resis-
tance on our part What Germany
Is doing is war, and it is none the
less way because thus far no Ameri-
can ship has happened TO fall O VIC
tim to German barbarism and no
American lives have been blotted out
by German torpedoes This sort OF
thing cannot 20 on indefinitely
When state Of affairs has been
reached at which American ships
and American citizens sail the seas
only at imminent risk Of destruction,
we have all the elements of war ex-
cept self-defense 1t seems to The
World that the President should go
before Congress and ask permission
to employ the full naval and military
powers Of the United States to pro-
tect American shipping and Ameri-
can citizens in the exercise Of their
lawful rights. That action was prop
crly held in allegiance so long ais
there was q possibility that the Im-
pcrial Government might withdraw
its submarine decree or modify 1t to
make IL compatible with the law OF
nations and humanity, This the
German Government has refused to
do It is making all the war upon
the United States that it is capable
OF making Lack OF opportunity for
further injury cannot be construed
as state Of peace. The overt act
was IN reality committed when ruth
less submarine warfare went into eff
feet That was a declaration Of war
against mankind. and il should be
met by the rull measure Of resistance
thai the situation demands.
On the same date the New York
American, which has the largest cir
culation OF any newspaper in New
York, and which is being edited by
American citizens in the interest Of
the United States and not by British
subjects in the interest OF the British
Empire, says editorially under the
caption: True Patriots will not do
anything to embarrass their govern
ment or wantonly take risks that
may bring on war"
"T'hc neutral nations which de-
clined to join the United States in
seycring relations with Germany did
so because they believed that such
an act would not be neutral. There
il a division OF opinion, and Sweden,
Holland, Chile and Argentine are as
much incenscc over the British
blockade and restrictions upon neu-
trails as they are over the German
submarine DlOcKaue ana feslllCllOuS
upon neutrals The American has
pointed out. time after time, that tho
solid basis Of a League OF Neutrals
must be drm opposition TO ALL ag-
gressions OF ALL beligerents a
league that would NOT USE FORCE
TO stop the dcprcdations OF one bel
ligerent while IL WOULD USE
FORCE 10 stop the depredations OF
The othcr would not be a neutral
league II would be a partisan
league Now paitisanshiD does not
and cannot make for peace. II
makes only for more war Partisan
ship cannot conciliate 1t can only
excite more anger The British
blockade OF Germany, Austria and
neutral Holland, Sweden, Denmark
and Norway III as lawless as the Ger
man blockade Of England, France
and italy Evidently the injured
neutrals viii not join a league to re-
sist the German restraints upon neu-
tral commerce and not to resist the
British restraints upon neutral COM
merce A neutral like Sweden. which