The Washington herald., 1917-02-25
What Leading Newspapers
Say on the War Situation
hn American and a Neutral.
New York Times,

New York Times.l
The speech of Senator Pomerene, of
Ohio. on Thursday to a Washington audi
lence In which were Mr. Wilson and
three members Of his Cabinet is brave
and heartening reading for a country
weary of the gospel of peace before
Everything, of alien propaganda. OF men,
bers of Congress eager to surrender or
spineless to assert American rights upon
the seas. The old American spirit, the
spirit Of a people that loves peace, but
| loves national self-respect greatly more,
Is in these words:
! "If George Washington believed that the
welfare of the country required that he
should come forth from his refinement
In his Old days to take command of opr
army in order to defend the rights 6f
! Americans upon the high seas in 1891
and lI9S, what would he do now when
all the world is aflame, when Christian
Icivilization Is in arms, when the rights
OF neutrals are ignored and trampled up
len, when Americansi are guilty of nc
offense save the exercise of their privi-
| leges upon the high seas? Would he
leave our shores in a state of defense
lessness? Would he forbid our Ameri-
cans to follow their pursuits at sea?''
| God knows" Mr.. Mann said the other
day in a sentence that will long stand
in the pillory of loyal Americanism
where we will land if this country en-
tiers the war The men of ZIG took
mo such counsel of despair or doubt
! Wherever they were to land" they
would not sacrifice right to fear.
| Senator Pomerene utters the sentiment
CT peaceful but manly and resolute Amer
icanism. Between his own country and
another, Mr.. Mann seems to he at best
Il neutral.
Testing n Nations Grit.
New York Tribunel
! The prime minister's stirring speech In
the British house of commons yesterday
contains much that will be received with
satisfaction in Berlin. He did not pre-
tend to make light of the serious situa-
tion created by the submarine war. nor
did he fiatter the house with those vague
assurances used freely on too many oc-
casions by members of the former gov
ernment. Enormous sacrifices are
needed" he said. and he added the
solemn warning that otherwise there
will be disaster"
1t was necessary to speak plainly, that
the nation might be prepared for the
revolutionary reforms designed to meet
the present emergency. In some measure
indeed. the nation must have been pre-
pared already. for the government had
lOItSIduOWeO q certain numDef
| of the restrictive measures by a volun-
tary appeal But though it was hardly
TO be expected that the desired results
could be secured by voluntary means
alone, the sudden introduction of so many
drastic reforms must have staggered
many of Mr.. Lloyd Georges hearers.
| 'If such a program is carried out, -
was his assurance, England can face the
enemy's worst" but he made 1t clear that
salvation could be found in no other way
The food stocks of the kingdom were
lower than ever. tonnage entering British
ports had fallen by 40 per cent. as COM
pared with the figures of the year before
the war, and there was a dangerous short.
age both for civil and military needs. Nor
did the premier offer any false encourage
nent to the house when he came to speak
| of the submarines. The government
hoped" to get the better of them. but
1t does not follow" he insisted, that we
should rest on this hope only"
By Order of Germany.
New York WORLDLY
Three weeks ago today President vii
son went before Congress to announce
that he had severed diplomatic relation.
with Germany because of the imperia
! governments proclamation of ruthles!
! submarine warfare and that II "Ameri
can ships and American lives" should bt
sacrificed by German naval commander!
he would again appear before Congress!
Ito ask that authority be given me tc
use any means that may be necessary fol
the protection of our seamen and oui
people in the prosecution of their peaceful
| and legitimate errands on the high seas
Thus far no American ships have beer
sunk without warning and no American
| lives have been sacrificed by the destruc
! tion of an American ship, but this gooC
| fortune is not due to German forbearanc,
or German respect for law. Our ships arr
not sunk because for the most part they
have been driven from the seas unde1
/ German threats of piracy. For the sam.
reason American citizens have escaped
massacre at the hands of German subma
rine commanders, although one American
has been murdered in an attack on
4 French liner.
| What has happened is that the Atlantic
! ports of the United States are blockadeC
by Germany, and our ship-owners ar.
afraid to assert their legal rights. Ever
the American Line ships which carry tn,
United States mail are all held in port b,
order of the German government
Every day that American shin
are afraid to put to sea because of Ger
man defiance of law and civilization. ou
rights are invaded. our honor is sullie,
| and ,