Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-03-21
LET THE PRESIDENT ALONE

that that FESTIVE Individual, Iheoaore
Roosevelt declares that the United
States fleet is taking refuge under
the British navy. Roosevelt long s'nce
PLAYED his part in the history OF our
country and has been making HIM
se,f cheap ever since by talking TOO
much. His utterances, however, carry
Int little weight at this time. but
while -glancing at the headlines con-
corning his latest fulminations II
brought to mind number OF INCL
dents of recent date wnicn prove
conclusive that Woodrow Wilson
should be given free hand IN plot
ing the ship of state at TINS critlcal
time.
When the Panama Canal was open
ed TO the traffic of the world flve
wears ago it had been provided that
American ships should be allowed the
use of the great waterway without
tbe payment of tolls. This to the
greatest number looked right; the
canal had been built by American
capital, and why should not our mef-
chant marine profit by it? Woodrow
Wilson had been in Office out short
time, and he disapproved OF this PRIV
ileee from the beginning. Many could
not see why, and the President upon
that occasion went to Congress ami
earnestly besought the peoples re-
representatives. to eXpunge that clause
and charge all ships the usuar tolls
which desire to use the canal. he
asked this, he said, for reasons best
known to himself and which he could
not as President divulge. Ills wishes
cested that Congress did right IN
were deferred to.
The Gazette on that occasion sue-
carrying out the wishes of the Presi-
dent, as he doubtless saw 1urther
into the future than the rank and flle
which time would prove.
Was Mr.. Wilson thinking OF the
the present fearful clash OF arms
then but two years away, and the in
evitability of the United States be-
coming an ally of Great Britain! 1t
will be remembered that England
was more interested than any other
country in having the canal opened
to all nations upon an equal footing
and with monopoly to none, Inc
United States retained the friendship
of the mother country which it IS
enioving at time when the nation
is menacad by people whose main
principle is "Might is right"
Many FESTIVE Americans wonder
why the President does not draw
the sword at once. and it looks to us
as though the time mas come when
Columbia should arise in her right
eous Indignation at the murdereous
acts of German submarines and tight
10 a finish a people who have no re-
gard for the rights Of others IN or
der to carry out their aims. But we
arc willing to await the bugle blast
from the White House, and in the In
tcrval we comfort ourselves with the
assurance that the hour mas not yet
struck.
But the query is pertinent, why this
delay? Surely the United States has
suffered long from this monster
which has during the past three
wears been terrorizing the civilized
world. The answer to this question
will be given at the proper time. we
imagine we hear it ever anon.
We arc told that the scorpion when
forced to bay turns its weapons upon
its own body and stings itself to
death. Is this action to be initiated
by Hohenzcllernism? If we are to
credit what we read from the hap
penings in the Fatherland the people
will in the near future rise up in their
honest indignation and obliterate an
oligarchy which has disturbed Eu-
rope at times since the days of Fred
erick II. This old atheist. :. as Maria
Theresa termed him, passed most of |
a misspent life upon clutches. His
successor of today is said to be kept !
alive upon narcotics while the foun-
dations of his country and throne are
tottering. -
The Gazette suggested few days !
ago. that the United States might .
net become a party to the war
against Germany, but would be g