The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1917-02-08

fahf fNN ~ HAA AAAA 81 y . NHHA saRaNfNA atths
dent will b. the signal for war. Our
government IA pledged 70 treat as ;
casus bclli the first German suhmarin,
operation through which American
lives are endangered BY the sinking Of
a merchantmen without search o.
warning. and without regard being
had for the safety Of those on board
We DO not share the Presidents con,
fidcnce that Germany will now omit
doing what she has given frank notice
of her intention to do Her govern
ment is desperate. Her people are
desperate They arc both obsessed
with the great Tirpitz delusion-thai
a campaign Of unrostrained frightful.
ness at sea will bring Germany that
victory which two and half years Of
I fighting on land-and fairly successful
/. fighting at that have failed TO bring
Chancellor Won Bethmsnn- Hollwcg
has represented consistently the ele-
mcnts in Germany which have opposed
The policy of running amuck at sea.
These moderate have hoped, but hoped
in vain, for decision on land. Now
popular pressure--the growing unrest
of the German civilian population,
drifting nearer and nearer TO the edge
of starvation--has forced the Chan
cellor to accept the Tirpitz programme
of submarine ferocity. He said the
other day candidly, perhaps little
mournfully, that Germany was now
stalking everything in one last, des-
perate play. He realizes-if Tirpitz
and his obsessed followers do not
clearly realize it-that just because
the submarine campaign cannot win
for Germany unless it is pushed to the
extreme of ruthlessness it is bound to
drive all neutral nations severely af-
fected by it into the beleaguering
circle Of Germany's enemies.
The German note Of last Wednesday
was bald definance of all the neutrals
"a challenge to them to take up arms
against Germany. The United States
was not singled out in that document
as the only neutral likely to be con-
verted into an enemy. SPANS mari
time rights were cancelled. So were
Hollands, Denmark's, Norway's and
Sweden's.
If Germany thinks that the new
submarine policy is going to bring
Great Britain to her knees, she also
certainly thinks that she can afford to
take a chance on driving all neutral
maritime powers into the Entente Al
lance. They cannot harm her much
on land; and her statesmen have now
been fully inoculated with the madness
that if Germany victory is to be
achieved at all it is to be achieved at
sea.
We look, therefore, for German
overt acts which will precipitate a
declaration of war by the United
States. Making war will be an
awkward undertaking for us. Our
people have fallen deep into the rut .
Of pacifstic relaxation. We have re-
fused to learn how to defend our
rights. Perhaps a certain portion Of .
our population will be somewhat luke
warn about defending them.
But however poor and awkward q
figure we may make as nation which
has lived for a generation in a fools
paradise and awakes to find its folly
nightmare to it--however sincerely
most of us may deplore the necessity
If going to warts being forced on
is will prove in the end national
benefit We have never been in the
rue sense nation. We are not now
/ nation in spirit or in organization.
We are Unfortunately hyphenated, and
split, besides, into sectional groups.
A war, whatever its cost, would help
% nationalize us. 1t would drive at
asst into our consciousness the thought
If nationality worth fighting for.
L would bring US to a realization that
nation cannot live by words alone
hat there must be a force behind
.hese words which gives them vitality
md significance. A war with Ger
many now would end forever the men,
zee of war with Japan. For the
menace of trouble with Japan has
,een kept alive for years only because
# our foolish antipathy to military
If war must come-not by our act
,ut by Germany's--we should welcome
(. We have a righteous cause-a
ause for which we fought a century
go, and against much greater odds.
Is righteousness will exalt and unity
he nation. And no nation of the first
ank is more in need just now of being
xaltod and unified than is the United
states. New York Tribune.
,pnNUuN DtIIpc M DnNlgc