Evening journal., 1917-03-13

MINATED by a desire TO be absolutely fRir TO tha
"A Rev. Sigmund G. Won BOsse, pastor of Zion Ger
Lutheran Church, in this city an ardent prO.Ger
man prOpagandist published in full, with prominent
front page position and without adverse local edi-
tOrfal comment, on Saturday letter which he had
written in response to editorial in which we
swered seven questions propOunded by him and, in
turn, prOpOunded ten questions to him for
We trust that all of readers gave intelligent and
fair attention to his letter. because it contained def.
nitOns with respect 10 his attitude which are of vital
public interest at this ime when every hour brings
the United States to an armed clash with Ger
many and makes imperative demand upon each
American citizen for absolute and answering loyalty
10 his country and its flag.
The high point in Mr.. Bosses letter is that he
approves of Germany's nk-wthOut- warning policy
against merchant ships which fly the flags of beIger-
ent nations and carry cOnfraband and that Germany
has right to slay without warning, not only the nom
cOmbaant men, and children Of belligerent ma
tons who may chance TO be on such ships. but also
nOn-cOmbatant and neutral American men, women and
children who may be $50 fOOlhardys as to be on them
as passengers In short that when the Germans tor
pedOed the Cunard line passenger steamship Lusitania
and blew up drowned than 1000 nom combat
ant men, and children, including more than 100
Americans, some of them little boys and girls and
others OF them babes in the arms il was as this
Lutheran minister who calls himself an American pac.
fist II, iustifable act Of war aud not n mOnu-
mental German crime against humanity at large and
particularly, so far Americans were affected,
against American manhood wOmanhOOd and childhood.
In his opinion the same principle applies to the
cOmbatant and neutral men, women and children in
cludng Americans, Who were on board the Suffolk the
LacOnia and all other passenger and freight steam
ships flying the flags OF Great Britain, France Russia,
Italy and Japan.
As saving grace for himself, he said he does not
favor the Germans sinking merchant ships which fly
the American flag. The people of cur city and State
should he grateful to himsfOr that slight concession
with respect 10 his general approval of the German
policy of submarine hcaressness and frightfuIness
which has been denounced by the United States Gov
crnment and is the prime Of the trouble with
Germany that seemingly is 70 erentuate in war
When We asked Mr. BOsse 10 reply TO the ten
questions we proDOunded It purpose, following
the receipt OF his replies, TO compare them with his
writings and utterances as published in the focal news
papers since the began. Fair application of the lit
erary weapon of the "deadIy parallel" 10 him is pre-
vented by this plea;
"SOme of my views have long ago undergone a
change due to conditions which developed since they
published"
IL would be waste of time therefore, for us 20 go
over those past utterances and writings of his with such
confession as the above supplying a lOOphOIe of es
cape so large that German Zeppelin might be driven
through it without touching top, side or bottom.
As several OF the replies made by Mr.. BOsse to