Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-02-16

the worst' is an excellent maxim for
individual or nation. That the United
States Of America is preparing for the
worst no man would thiuk of denying.
That we all prefer to hope for the best,
in spite of very ugly developments, is
equally undeniable. Firmness Of pur-
pose is no more to be commended than
temperatures In thought and speech
and action.
After the severance of all diplomatic
relations following a threat by Ger
many 10 do barbarous things IN the
high seas, the first overt act in pursu-
ance of that threat can have but one
sequence--a declaration of wal against
Germany by our Congress in Washing
ton.
News dispatches based on an official
London statement indicate that some
thing approximating the overt act that
must mean wal has taken place. We
do not know the full story of the sink
ing of the British freighter Eavestone.
We cannot know it at once. She was
a provisional collier', a part Of the
British navy. The report that Richard
Wallace of Baltimore, an American
citizen, was one of the victims has
grave significance. 1t matters not that
Wallace, according to accounts from
Baltimore, was only a negro sailor,
with no permanent home, a dweller in
one of the waterfront boarding houses.
What may matter in International law,
is the fact that the Eavestone was
technically a navy ship of Great Bril-
tain; that she was subject to being
sunk without warning, and that any
citizen of a neutral Power taking en-
ployment on her surrendered his right
to protection, as IL he had enlisted in
the British army.
Apparently, the Ea%vestone, which
had taken to Liverpool a cargo from
Galveston, Texas, had cleared for a
trip to Portugal, and was outgoing
when sunk. She was shelled by q u
boat. Not merely that, but when the
crew had taken to small boats these
boats were shelled. 1t is alleged that
Wallace was killed not on the deck of
the steamer but in a boat escaping.
Some of the crew did escape and this is
said to be their story. The inherent
barbarity of firing on small boats in
which were men from ven a hostile
ship need not be dwelt upon. 1t is
wholly outside the customs OF civilized
warfare. 1t has no military purpose.
Ifhas no end save frightfulness.
America can trust Woodrow Wilson
not to act precipitately, not to jump at
conclusions not to let indignation carry
away his judgment. But she is even
better pleased to be able to trust him
to strike hard when the time comes,
and she is yielding the tribute of admit
as well as loyalty, as he fixes
ing the Nation, and urges preparation
A Ian! of 1000 O 900 people. think
ing and speaking as one for a high pur-
pose, a land richer in "sinews of war"
than any other, a land whose immense
industrial are at the disposal
of the Government, whose vast factories
already have been largely adapted to
the making of munitions, shells, sub
marines and airplanes, whose inventors
are busy every day of every year, may
be ever so peaceful In its trends, in lite
inclinations, but to doubt its capacity
for fighting or for defense Is to ignore
all the lessons of the wal in Europe
up to date. In all that has happened
invention and industrial organization
have c1unted for most. We sometimes
forget that Germany's marvellous army
preparation was supplemented by up
per air and undersea mechanism, by
new and powerful field artillery, by
armored automobiles, by ex pert d dietary
regulations and medical and surgical
skill: that invention played a large
part In land efficiency: that the chem
list, the aviator, the mechanic were
vital 10 what was done. Our army is
only a nucleus now, but we shall have
plenty of time to train a million men
before the Kaiser can reach US, and the
auxiliaries which have meant SO much
to him are at hand for US.
President Wilson realizes all this.
He knows u strength. Heknows our
weakness. Andthough he is a civilian
of civilians as Abraham Lincoln was,
he can be depended upon to use ali the
expert knowledge of practical Army
men and practical Navy men, without
permitting their professional conserva-
tim or their professional piques and
antipathies to interfere with the great
work in hand. That was what Lincoln
I:a tI.oruAo,,k t1o niofI Wa 49,.