Norwich bulletin., 1917-02-20
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

dominates the whole empire; we'll, who or what dominated the German confederation before the empire was formed? The people are united now, just as they were in 1S70- It seems all right that England should have d centralized government, that King George should speak of my army" and of my navy" It is all right that there should be a centralized Italy, and an autocratic Russia; but for Germany to be united and centralized is Q crime. Again we say that it is worse than "arrant nonsense'' to talk about the government and the people of Germany being divided in aim or purpose. It is not Germany that is seeking world dominion. but 1t is England that still aims to rule the waters of the earth, and Russia, not withstanding her immense unculti- vated area aims to dispoSsess others and occupy their territory by right of conquest; holy England justifies this robbery in the same breath that she demands that Germany give up her Rhine provinces, which she won back from France in 1870.
 And so, we have England, jealous, enNious. suspicious; France, naughty, proud, revengeful; Russia, grasping and covetous; and others with just such unho1y aims, all banded togeth- CT to destroy the central powers of Europe, and divide the spells among themselves; and while talking loudly of freedom" and democracy" plan ming to enslave millions of other races eousness." If the allies succeed in their diabolical plot of destroying the Austrian Hungarian, and Bulgarian governments and enslaving those peo- pie to Russia: and of crushing Ger we have? What sort of freedom" is Greece enjoying today under allied sway? Her government practically overthrown: her coasts blockaded by n6 har people starving to death.
 I have not the honor sof a personal acquaintance with MT. John McWi1- Hams, but I cannot help but believe colored man should stand with hat in hand. and say Morning Massa." Well. allow me to say that that day wiii not ask of their g eoiored oio comrades anything of the kind. fought near ly three years side by side with them in the Civil war. and we fought not to free the slaves. but to save the don't propose to take my hat off to anything but gospel truth and the American flag. The idea that a col ored man is "an ingrate" because he give expression to it. is at one with the ideas prevalent in the days of slavery.
 He certainly is a shallow student VI WHO SPcdhS OI tflS OAN1A war having been fought to free the slaves; for the fact is the war was not to free the slaves. but to save the Union; even Lincoln, the great eman- cipater, politically declared that if he could save the Union with slavery, he would do it; but thank God the Union could not be saved with slavery. Lin coin had said in his great debate with Douglas. that the Union could not live half slave and half free." So the war was fought to save the Union, and doubtless if slavery had not been abolished our country would now be on a par with the disjointed govern ments Of South America, with no standing whatever as world powers.
 Why is it that the English block ade of neutral states; the wilful and persistent interference with our com merce and mails. which she does to starve non-combatants to death is so meekly acquiesced in. while the Ger man blockade for self-defense is 50 hotly condemned7 Is it so much worse to kill by drowning than by starva- tion? Let us insist on our rights. re- spect for our flag: let us keep oR the Hanger zones," whether they be allied or German; let us give each one of the bellfgerents a square deal. attend to our own affairs in this part Of the world. and thus be ready at the close of the war to go on with the work of civilization.
 Sincerely yours,
 E. GEORGE BIDDIE.
 Norwich, Conn. Feb. 1a, 1917.