Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-02-02
The Cloud Overhead.

TO add all the nations OF the neutral
world 20 the number OF her enemies
Many months ago she forfeited the
true spirit OF their neutrality by IN
du,xiug the inhuman ferocity OF Prus-
sianism. Now she faunts her con-
tempt o. their rights and announces
that they must accept Prussianism as
4, is or suffer from its running amucK'
o world outlaw. It's hand against the
throat OF every nation except those
dominated by II.
The degeneracy OF militarism was
followed by insane hatred Of all OPP
posed, and blood madness. The pres
On. stage Is the maniacal desperation
OF fanaticism facing destruction.
Germany's friends predict brief
reign OF terrorism and the end of OPP
position TO Observation-Disclosures
crushed and on her knees; France re-
duced TO bcPRary ami supplication;
Russia hurled back with all hopes Of
outlet 10 the southwark forever blasted
the world bowling mcekly before Me
und Gott". America eating from rne
hand Of the Kaiser
Hut that Is the dream Of insensate
lust for power. In spite of the shock,
and tho horror of It. the dark forebod-
ings of an era OF frightfuness, the end
Of the war seems strangely nearer to-
day than yesterday The bluh of II
will dictate peace" was called. and
The frenzy Of a final struggle is at
hand, II Is III last trump. Germany
cannot long make war on the world,
and so her course is steered to DELHI
erately enlist the world against her,
IN order that oligarchy may turn
10 the people with excuse for not
having accomplished what it has
promised for two generations-wo
domination
Prussianism has lived and perverted
nations that the world might see the
hand 81 the devil in militarism Today
~ Is seen AZ the full
Prussianiyitic madness. She has no
choice but to sever all relations with
power embarkine on career OF ter
toriym
No, so direc' and insulting as the
present German INSTRUCTIONS to
the United States was the utterance
that opened h, stilities in the present
European war
Today the United State, has but one
course. TO hand the German ambass-
ador his passports. We await the pos
sibilitics Of another day
Diplomatic relations with Germany
should cease in the hour that "unre-
stricted uhmarine operations" against
the commerce OF the world is launched
We cannot be a party to IT; we cannot
submit to It: We cannot permit any
nation To 50 far ignore our rights as
"a instruct us a. to what we may do
or may not do, within or without the
provisions fixed and respected by all
world powers
Already American concessions 10
Germany and other bclIigo rents. Amor
lean procrastiration in meeting the
situations that have arisen. and Amer
team failure 10 make good" its talk
or strict accountability" and the like
have won only the contempt of Pms
sihnism In Germany's new situa-
ton" II Is emphasized
We have deluded ourselves with a
false hope. Treaties and agreements
are scraps of paper" and have been
from the hour Of Belgiums violation.
Again and again II has been proven.
We know that submarine 'blockade"
cannot comply with the agreements OF
nations A specimen forever in the
minds OF Americans is the Lusitenia
incident. We have had many others.
We cannot associate with an outlaw
hence our course is plain today. II we
ere injured by ruthless blockade" &C.
uvitfes tomorrow our course will be
Sust M evident-we must not surrender
our sovereign rights and the oppressor
b an enemy: VIC cannot temporize.
The next wireless wave may bring
news Of an act OF war against US. Amer.
lea 10 calm. with clean hands. It may
be the calm preceding the breaking OF
the storm. but let our hands remain
clean and our hearts just, whatever
comes.