Grand Forks herald., 1917-03-03

Senator LaFollette. who seized upon
this further opportunity to occupy the
center Of the stage. The expectation
at this time Is that the senate will
pass a resolution which contains none
Of the restrictive clauses Of the house
resolution, and that this will bs ac-
cepted BY the house.
X X X X
The debate in both house and sen
ate has brought out tho fact that In
both bodies there is a realization OF
the imperative necessity Of immediate
action, and that any effective action
means actual and Immediate war. no
matter whether there be formal dec
laration Of war or not. Germany has
declared her fixed purpose to destroy
merchant and other shipping on
sight There is to be no warning. no
investigation, and no opportunity per-
mitted for escape. The United States
may. II 1t chooses. accept this nat is
sued from Berlin, and order its citi-
Gems and it's shipping to keep away
from the section Of the ocean thus
placed under taboo. In other words.
We may admit the right, or submit
to the power of the German govern
ment to interrupt the personal move-
r,ents of American citizens, and to de-
stroy 80 per cent Of our foreign COM
meroe. with a stroke Of the pen.
That Is what acceptance Of the Ger
man warning means. II We do not
like that we may take steps TO pro-
tect our people ana our commerce
whore they have a right to be. Those
two courses are open. There Is no
middle course.
X X 4 4 Il
The latter course will be taken. And
because Of the character of the Ger
man plans as announced, there can
be no hesitation in the use Of the
weapons provided. BY It's own govern
mont the German submarine has been
declared an outlaw. It 10 subject to
no restrictions. and will be governed
by no rules. 1t will shoot on sight
Its purpose. and Its only purpose. Is
to destroy. instantly and without
warning. The commander Of a mer-
chant vessel who sights a German
submarine need wait for no search or
Investigation. for he has been warned
that there will be none. The presence
OF that craft in his neighborhood
means that he Is about to be sunk.
His only possible means Of escape
Is to shoot first. He may take his
choice.
X X X X
The situation has reached . point
where it is useless to mince matters.
There has been too much mincine al
ready. Many Of US have been re-
luctant to face the plain facts, and
while we have been attempting to
disguise them into an appearance a
little more pleasing, Germany has, to
the very limit Of her ability, been
preparing for war with the United
States just as, to the limit of her abil-
i:y, she prepared for the war in
which she is now engaged. We need
not. at this time. concern ourselves
with her purpose It may be that
she has hoped. by the thoroughness
of her preparations and the ruthless
display of her power, to create such
a panic in the United States that we
will not dare to use our own hands
to; protect our own rights. It may
be that she desires an American war
at this time for the sake Of its DO.
littcal effect on the terms Of peace
Or 1t may be that this is merely a
part Of her dream of absolute world
domination. It does not matter. We
are confronted by facts. Either we
must abandon our rights or we must
defend them.
X X X *
We need be under no illusions as
to the meaning of defensive course.
1t means war. War is serious busi-
ness. But the war Is not of our max
ing. And. when the choice Is between
war and the abandonment of all that
free mec prize, then, in Gods name
let there be war.
x X X X
The interest in the German devel-
opments has overshadowed everything
else. The news dispatches have been
devoted chiefly to these developments,
and other matter, even when pub
lished. has received little attention. In
congress there has been doubt as to
whether or not it would be possible
to bring the business Of the session
to close without leaving unfinished d
business which must be taken UP at
an extra session. The present pros
pect is that there will be no extra
session, but this may be changed in a
moment. If Mr. LaFollette, for In
stance, chooses to do so he can con-
sumo the closing hours in meaning
less talk. and can prevent the finish
ing up Of the business Of the congress.
In that case an extra session will be
inevitable.
4 x X X
In the war theater itself there have
been important activities in at least