The Meeker herald., 1917-03-24
Armed Neutrality

| enlp1 Is mOlnenCOu0 one. 1t Is tne
kind of reply to the submarine men
ace that Germany can probably better
understand than the severance Of dip
lomatic relations. Berlin, In its latest
pronouncement through the mouth Of
her foreign minister, stated that it
was the Presidents move. Without
haste, after careful consideration of
the law, and undoubtedly with an eye
to preparation, the President made
his move In the way the great country
he represents expected him to move.
..There were two courses open for
the United States. One WAS to tie up
American shipping In its home ports
and permit the ocean-going American
steamship companies to go out of bus
iness for the time being. That OF course
meant that this country either recog-
nized the legality Of the German
block ade and the method Of its en-
forcement-death to all who entered
the barred zOne-or through sheer ter
ror of the consequences and helpless.
ness to combat it, was compelled to
yield to superior force. That was the
ignobIe course mapped out for Amer
ica by the Berlin government and its
assistance on this side of the water.
Easy and plausible arguments
were found for this course. We were
told that the war in Europe did not
concern US; that the United States
should stay at home and not get In
the way when q couple of drunken
men were fighting and that this
country needed its food for its own
people. The smile Of the drunken
men Ia quite a favorite one with the
professional peace men, and those
who seem to find 1t necessary to find
excuses for abandoning our rights.
There is fight on the other side, to
be sure, but it is being conducted with
the highest scientific Intelligence.
War moves are made with the pre-
cision OF q chess game. Just at present
the submarine orders are to ''sihk ev-
erything," and the United States re-
fuses to recognize this as civilized
warfare or to consider the alleged
justification that it is forced by any
conjured up military necessity"
1.-THE United States is concerned
with the war In Europe. We are pro-
vincials no longer said President
Wilson in his inaugural address. The
tragical events of the thirty months
Of vital turmoil through which we
have Just passed have made us citt-
Gems Of the world. There can se no
turning back. Our own fortunes rs q
nation are involved, whether we
would have it so or not
every country now at war had to
make its decision, sooner or later.
That decision was based on what 1t
believed to be the highest national
welfare. Owing to its geographical
position and Its apparent immunity
from trouble the United States elected
to preserve an impossible neutrality.
Controversies arose, many Of them be-
ing merely as to certain interpreta-
tions OF international law that involv-
ed no deep-seated breach Of comfy.
1.-THE final test has now come, how
ever, In situation where the very
foundations on which this country
bases its existence IS sovereign ma
ton are challenged.
"The right to carry on commerce
under the rules which exist from time
immemoriai has been directly chal-
lenged by Germany, and that chal-
Ienge has been accepted. The arming
of American merchant vessels repre-
sents a step In the direction of an in
evitable conflict. The German govern
ment has announced its intention Of
sinking our ships OH sight. Our guns,
II possible, will protect them. If some
body is hurt-and it may be ourselves
as we'll as the German submarines
the next move-to use the thinner
mann language--must come from
Berlin. That governmentlo looks outfor
what it calls eventualities, and SO
must America.
"Intriguing with Mexico Ia as much
a menace asthe submarine to the peace
Of the United States. That 1t was only
to be effective in case Of q declaration
of war Is statement that will deceive
nobody familiar with what has been
going on in Mexico for long time.
That this secret alliance with Mexico
was an idea Of recent origins trans
parent fiction, which Germany proba-
bly, intended for home consumption.
1T simplifies matters greatly to
proceed with ones eyes open and to
knew in exactly what quarter to ex-
pect danger aud trouble.
"Once the President has acted there
will be an end to the od-knows-