The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1917-11-10
HOHENZOLLERN INSOLENCE

Insolcnce and contempt for the American nation and the
American people have marked the attitude and conduct of the
German imperial government from the beginning of the war
down to this day. 1t consistently showed a contempt for the
courage and strength of the nation and its willingness and
ability to maintain its honor and its rights, and a contemptu-
Gus disbelief in the integrity and loyalty of the American peo-
pie toward their government and toward themselves.
1t was not alone that they insmted our nations honor by
the ruthless murder of our citizens on the high seas, sending
to death noncombatant men and women and children, and by
denying to our commerce rights long recognized by the inter
national law that prevails among civilized nations.
They made every effort, and sometimes with success, to
foment strikes and disorders among factory and other work
ers. They sought to debauch the national spirit of the Ameri-
cans. They sought TO make traitors of American citizens and
by a systematic campaign of falsehood and chicanery to poison
the minds of American people and especially the people of for
eign birth who were living amongst us.
They sought to make traitors or slackers of our people and
to make enemies of friendly nations. When the German am
bassador and many German representatives and citizens were
living here under our protection, secure in the honor and good
faith of America, they themselves were conspirng against the
peace of this country, and were in effect actually waging war
upon this country by giving information by which ships were
sunk, and by actual acts of war in the way of destruction of
property and lives committed in this country.
When Ambassador Bernstorff in Washington was ask
ing for money to influence the American congress, thinner
man, the foreign secretary in Berlin, was seeking to array
Mexico and Japan against us. The rules of international law
regarding ambassadors have been held by honorable nations
to be particularly sacred; but German contempt of America
violated them without scruple.
Absolute contempt of Americas courage and willingness
and ability to enforce our rights was shown by the German i'm
the kaiser's pen in signing the war zone decree it was sought to
destroy more than So, 4OO,OOO,OOO of our annual commerce with
Europe.
Our exports to the nations with which Germany is at war
constitute the greater part of our exports to the entire world.
Not all the German imperial army and navy can damage our
commerce as much as the German government sought to do
by a simple decree which its insOlent contempt of the United
States led it to believe would be obeyed by us. Not yet, and
never, can any nation with impunity order the vessels of the
United States off the high seas.
The challenge of the German imperial government has
been met; sea and land forces have been organized; ships have
been purchased and are being built; the nation is being organ
lied all along the line; nearly 3d. OO,OOOOOO have been loaned
to the nations fighting Germany and more will be furnished
them. The irresistible might of this organized i%nvincible re-
public is going to vindicate American honor and American
rights and establish peace, justice, liberty and right for itself
and for the world.
Berlin has invited a comparison between the German sup
port of the seventh German war loan and the American support
man inability to appreciate American loyalty. How senseless
it is, how undeserved by the people of the United States, has
been shown time and time again. And it is shown again by
the subscriptions to the second Liberty Loan bonds which
willing to back to the limit their government in the prosecution
of this just war and to show the world that, as the president
said, the heart of the country is with our fighting men and
with our countrys cause.