The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-03-08
HUTTON
AVERT THE CALAMITY, PART II.

In precise contirmatory to my article
that appeared in the February 18th is
sue, | wish to avail myself of this
gratuitous privilege obtained through
the courtesy of the gracious editor of
again addressing the readers of this
highly appreciated and valuable paper.
So great becomes the anxiety of an
! impeding catastrophe that constantly
threatens to engulf this peaceful Re
public IN horrible destruction that for
the present one becomes apparently in
sensible to the causal happenings of
native surroundings by centering the en-
tire mental faculties upon this one great
absorbing problem.
viii 1t be possible for our country to
continue its peaceful and prosperous
pursuits without sleeping her guileless
hands IN the heinous crimes. daily per
petrated by vicious murderers. or drench
our American soil with the innocent
blood of iunumerable victims?
For truly this Is the CHASTITY Euro
pean spectacle at the present tumul-
tuous disturbance. From all indications
the daily press, with few exceptions,
strongly advocate the use Of indicative
resources, preparatory to defending the
National flag and the L. s. A. against
alleged atfronts frequently committed
on the high seas by belligerent ma
ton.
A correspondent to the Irish World IN
I the February 18th issue expounds such
very sane logic in behalf Of the present
crucial and embarrassing situation that
| have distracted the following para.
graphs for tn relder's con.ideration:-
Now, from the standpoint Of plain.
hard-headed common sense we are IN
able to see why it is patriotic and honor
able for American ships to abandon the
lucrative trade with Germany and Aus
tria for fear of destruction by British
blockaders and shameful ard cowardly
to abandon trade with England for fear
Of German blockades.
"Our shipowners have very prudent
ly avoided British capture and de-
struction of their vessels bv keeping
them out of the forbidden zones mark
ed by the British Admiralty, and they
will act prudentlY and perhaps patriot
cally, too, if they keep their ships out
of the danger zones marked cut by the
German Admiralty. and so remove all
danger of their own country being
dragged into war.
There is neither any standard of
honor, nor patriotism. nor self inter-
est which does not apply with exactly
equal forces to the interruption of
American commerce with England, by
the Germans.
"If American ships paid the same
heed to the German blockade, that thew
have paid to the British Blockade. there
would be no American ships sunk and
no American citizens drowned bv the
Germans.
II VIC NNiI ~ at VIII SETuEuiOuE
fairness, we would either lay an en-
barge or declare war against both Ger
manv and England, for idenucallv lie
gal trespasses upon our rights on the
free seas, or else we would put I'D with
both until thew have ceased fighting.
and then carry our case against both to
an international tribunal for justice.
The President is historian. as well
as statesman, and he doubtless rec
ognizes the force of these truths and
would be more than delighted if Ameri-
can shippers and American citizens
would keep themselves out of danger
of destruction and their country out of
war by staying away from the danger
zones, of the Germans blockade. ex-
actly as they have stayed away from
the danger zones of the British block
ade for more than two years.
ST. ELMO.