South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-04
THAT STATE OF WAR" WE'RE FACING.

While the average layman, the distinction is one
quite without a difference yet there is a distinction
which Americans should be proud. Entrance
the world under the recommendations of
the president up by congress- declaring state
existing and accepting the of belligeT
ency even to the point Of aggressive defensveness
quite different than declaration of would be
that put the enemy the defensive and made our
selves the aggressors
America has sought this condition of affairs It
has much could be done, it would to
prevent it, We have desired peace. The president,
the representative of the American people has
plead peace not only with all the European bellig
and between them but especially with the power
that has made its peace with longer honorable
tolerable. the sinking OF
Lusitania the destruction of the Aztec. Germany
has almost constantly made upon course.
like nation of whipped cowardly ours. might
have complied with her demands. become ally in
Ter worldwide conquest, and for the moment escaped
her assaults made upon but the United
never been a nation whipped or cowardy ours After
years and of German abuse broken promises.
seditious meddesomeness. etc. have finally deter
mined to fight not in spirit Of of retail
still for the advancement those principles
which have stood from the start: American lie
the rights of neutras and now. finally the survival of
democracy governmental mode power.
The right OF one nation to remain at peace with the
world other quarrel and tight is at the
bottom of it all That right with neutrality maintained
between the warning has always interna
tiona recognition. Belligerents may establish their
bIockades. and announce their zones
these blockades and have always stood only
against contraband or at the most against conditional
contraband, far concerned the commerce of
trails. Even that the offending vessel has always
heretofore been accorded the protection seizure and
search plus recompense where non-contraba
hscated with safety for passengers and where
vessel is sunken. Pro-Germans may tell you Eng
land has interfered with our commerce as well
Germany. and maybe she oftener. but diff
ference still remains that Britain kept within
rules above outlined while Germany has scarcely
spected them at all
No one is 70 blame save Germany herself that her
navy limited submarines aside that which
been kept bottled up by the British one is to
blame Germany herself that her submarine type
navy he successfully operated compliance
the international She should
navy that she operate within such rules. her
the unbotlng OF her cruisers battleshps
and dresdnaughts, breaking through the lines
them in seizures searches. and protection
Of American lives. as contemplated by international
law. II she wishes maintain zone and she
would have no more trouble with the United states
than England and France have had.
II is different however. when Germany would make
MS suffer the consequences Of her weakness rec
oenized legitimate types OF naval warfare We are
under obligations pull her irons OF the ire
10 convenience her 10y submission that would make
her warfare more effective than legitimate warfare
might would be the other beliger-
ents foF attempt such thing our rights as
much bee respected as those OF kaiser
many having admittedly subdue the earth.
by her ruthlessness the presiden,
right declares that there other alterna-
tive than reestablsh said rights by force
in the destruction those rights thar Germany
has made war upon Us. a war which bids fair