TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1917-03-24
JOHN BULLS CONDUCT TOWARDS UNCLE
SAM NO BETTER THAN GERMANY'S!
By n CALCITRO.

with equal grace permit the German submarine to do the same thing
1T makes use for this purpose Of the sophshc argument of the "Springfek
Republican" on this subject which mistates and ignores essential facts II
Its premises, and hence must come to false conclusions. In its premises tb'
Republican" states that mines from the wars beginning have been lm
by both sides and hence the danger from both; that owing to practical
impOssiblity of knowing to which side the damage should be assessed
nothing beyond a protest could be done; that the English violations were
mostly by the "blOckading feet that made force unnecessary to safeguard
American lives and property, and hence for the present we could gracefully
submit to it. The "Wond-Herald' then proceeds to amphfy o N the
misgtatements Of actual facts. These statements are misleading by the
assertion Of either fasehOods, or halftuths, and by the "suppressio verb
or suppression OF essential facts pertinent to ADJUST and logical conclusion
1T is true that since the beginning Of the war Germany, like any bell
lgerent would, has safeguarded her own territorial waters with mines
It Is likewise true that she has tined and partly, according to her own OH
cl statements, succeeded to lay mines in English territorial waters, to
official or otherwise, that she MINED THE HIGH SEA. England, however, in
plain defiance Of international law officially declared the whole North Sea-
high sea-a war zone IN which she would lay mines and make traffic fol-
neutras hazardous to life and property; lay them mind you, net for
naval operations apparently, as the "World-Herald" would make believe
but for the expressed purpose Of keeping neutras from bringing supplies
freight and passengers to Germany to stop all neutral communication with
the latter country These mines were to be a part Of the illegal machinery
operated by Great Britain to hold up all traffic on the sea to and from
Germany.
This English hodup of neutral legitimate shipping was so ourageousB
contrary to international law, that ever England did not venture at first
to call it a blockade Not trusting to her warships being able to take all
neutral shipping into ports without loss of life or vessel or cargo and
submitting them to legaized tibunalP-as per "W.-H" she does-she pur-
posed to destroy what she could not get otherwise o the high seas by mines
in case ships ventured through o escaped her warships, or at least so
to intimidate them by the announced mining Of the high sea, that they
would quit attempting to reach Germany. To escape this danger Of destruc-
ton by mines neutral ships had the alternative of either travelling a
route mapped out by England that would lead them straight into the lions
mouth and to retention, permanent n temporary, r confscaton Of both
ship and cargo, or to quit altogether. Later to make this matter Of pre-
venting any and all shipping from and to Germany more convenient to
England all ships coming over the North Sea from the east or going to it
from the west were directed to call at certain specified English ports,
always Win INT UNDERSTANDING mat icy must noI uy 10 feacn Iefmany-
orr Does the "WorIdHerald" know that in the North Sea a practically
contiguous and continuous chain Of anchored and floating mines is strung
from Scotland to the territorial waters Of Norway, making it impossible
for any American or other neutral ship to reach Germany by the northern
route; that IN the eastern end Of this line where the ships might slip into
Norwegian territorial waters and then sail south to Germany along the
coast warships III stationed to supplement the Office Of the mines, making
the danger to property and life Of neutrals attempting to run into German
|harbOrs 81 certain that they will not attempt it, And SO warshp and
mine are united to destroy oH and nearly all neutral trade with Germany.
If it were not for this threatened destruction by mines planted on the high
ton of neutral trade, Englands illegal blockade could never have been made
effective. She has not ships enough to dc if, hence the planting Of the mines
Misrepresentation Of facts by hnsinuatng that American shipping to Germany
was seriously impeded and kept from its destination by a "bockadng feet"
ping to Germany but that Germany has done SO in its submarine warfare,
is indeed true; but logically leads to no such conclusions a it pleases the
and deeeying the unthinkng. England VIRTUALLY AND mPLIEDLY
announced its intentions Of taking American and other neutral lives, when
abe announced in defiance of international law to plant mines IN the high
seas to keep neutras from trading with Germany If no lives were lost
it was because we submitted 70 Engands outrages and abandoned our
trade with Germany. The "Wond-Herld" states that only FIVE per cent
of shipping is being destroyed by the German submarines. What would have
been the percentages of lives and cargoes lost i neutral ships coming with
Icargoeg from America or the Far East-the latter would have been held
up at Gfbrahar-had insisted OF their rights, ingnored the English call
ports and evading the English warshtps had brayey plunged into the
English mine fields stretching from Scotland to Norway? II / and my
property can reach my place Of doing business only by two possible routes
or public streets one Of which is barred by persons intent upon hating
arestng, stripping or robbing me and my property, to prevent m e and
my belongings from reaching my lawful destination; the other barred by
bitches, mines apd dynamite = eHeet the same felonious purpose and If
or both. I conclude TO abandon my lawful purpose, / may be called prudent
but 7 certainly would make myself ridiculous, If I excused the malefactors,
because they did not take my life, if / praised their humane disposition
and because of this rehained from vigorous prosecution Of the crime.
a public prosecutor acting similarly would proclaim himself an
imbecle and a fit subject for removal from Office. For any thinking man.
or woman would see and say at once, that is was my own prudence in
not PRESSING my right at THE MOMENT that saved my property from the
|hod-up, and in case Of incorporating insistence on my right my life. If
I had persisted ! would have been either captured or killed and my belong
ings detained or confscated
II after this experience a second hand of highwaymen determined to
prevent my person or properly or both from reaching my place of business
and unable to dc 50 in person, barred the only two possible streets to my
place Of business with mines, dynamite and other explosives and it,
although advised to this effect, I insisted on nay right and got killed, what
happened to me was not the result Of different conduct Of the trespassers
OF. my rights towards me, but Of MY different conduct towards THEM
IN the crisis II the public prosecutor in his plea for justice to my dead
self and outraged humanity wouG plead the enormhy Of the crime Of taking
my life and emphasize the right Of thepuhle peacefully and unmoested by
highwaymen TO walk the public streets and to pursue their lawful ayoca-
tons and stenly call upon the state or nation to punish such lawlessness
the audience would applaud him But II then he would aninadvrt upon
that prior attempt upon my life and property, contrasting it most favor
ably with the second attempt that cost my life, expatiating on and paising
the humanity Of these highwaymen, saying that even in case l had been
actually sustained indefinitely and my property taken fordbly away from me
or conHscated, my heirs might have got It back some day, that the main
thing after all was that they spared my life. etc. and That hence they
should be released from criminal prosecution: The audience would be
indignant, Disguised, their sense Of justice and fair play outraged and the
prosecutor would be considered an unworthy and partial condoner Of crime
For they would know perfectly well that NOT TO THEM l owed my life