South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-01

and IL Will forever remain one OF
the dark pages Of history
Relief Ships Seut Down.
Touched by the intense suffering
Of the Belgians. Americas hand Of
sympathy was stretched across the
sea. bat our relief ships were sent
TO the bottom by submarines. Rev.
Turk endeavors TO excuse Germany
on the ground that her people are
starving. Were the Belgians less
hungry Clearly il is a breach Of
international law, human law, God s
, law and every other law 20 sink
vessels bearing relief 10 suffering.
starving and a subjugated people.
We remember it was even over the
protests Of neutrals.
We cannot soon forget atrocities
committed by the Teutons at the be-
ginning of the war in the use OF
trightful poisonous gases. II is bad
enough 10 die upon the battlefield.
but when ones whole system is
poisoned, and must endure a slow
death OF agony by such a method,
1t sure carries evidence Of barbar-
a
young man so poisoned and who has
been sent home TO endure the agony
Of a slow death. l wonder il there
is not such a thing as an honorable
warfare?
BarbarOus War Policy.
There still fingers in our minds
the pilaging. devastating and laying
waste Of the properties, homes, and
many beauties Of northern France
in the recent German strategic re-
treat" But then il was simply a
continuation Of Germany's ruthless
and barbarous war policy. Is there
any wonder that the sober thinking.
honest people OF the world have
branded all this as piratical? Ger
many need not be surprised that the
world is turning against her
Now, how about her submarine?
Never since the world began has
there been witnessed such piracy,
barbarism, crime as has attended
the campaign OF summarizing. The
writer would not lift his voice
against IL were it confined to the
sinking Of war materials alone: nor
would he find it in his heart 10
criticize were it confined to simply
the warning nations themselves.
But. we still remember the Lust
tania, Laconia and the countless
other ships that have gone down.
To Germany all ships are the same.
and even women and children who
have no interest in the war them
selves must be slain. Two hundred
and forty OF our American-bo Cit
liens lost BECAUSE of submarines. Is
there anything under reason TO ex-
cuse such a crime? Real Afneri-
cans say NO" We have beseeched,
implored and begged for a cessation
Of this piracy, but the only answer
was the scrapping Of our notes, and
another ship sunk. Surely, we have
reached the end of all patience and
endurance. Reason plays a little
part with a government that con-
siders international agreements as
scraps Of paper.
Recent Plots Against Country.
Then there is still fresh in our
minds the recent plot Of the Ger
man government officials against
this country. What could be more
diabolical and more reasonable
than that? The crime is all the
more glazing when we remember
that it was known even among
those representing Germany in
America. 1t were bad enough TO
blow IN our ships, destroy and slay
our citizens, blow up American
prOperty-but the last card was
played in the mean, undetermined
and black crime of seeking TO de-
stroy the republic by the melting
Of trouble. Nothing could be worse
than this.
The writer is not anxious TO see
war. and pray God this great coun-
try yet may find an honorable way
out. but if not. then we must de-
fend our national honor and stand
by the flag, though by the bloody
road Of sacrifice. This is American
ism.
FAIR PLAY