Grand Forks herald., 1917-02-08
be a poor compliment to German Of.
f1cioncy to believe that.
HELGESEN'S SHAMEFUL ATTI.
TUDE.

II it were not for other and inde-
pendent facts which tend to corrob.
orate the report, the natural assump'
tion would be that Congressman H. T
Helgesen Of the First North Dakota
district had been Incorrectly quoted In
the Washington dispatch. which pur.
ported to set forth his attitude in re.
lation to the issues between this coun.
try and Germany. Mr.. Helgesen is re.
ported to have said:
The United States could have
waived her legal rights to the
freedom of the seas without los
ing any of them. and without the
loss of dignity. Germany should
have been informed of this atti-
tude long ago. do not believe
the American people want war.
and stand with them.
That astonishing statement Is attrib-
uted to a member of congress Of the
United States at moment when Ger
many, after having been formally and
solennly warned Of what the conse-
quences Of such course would be.
has arrogently and insultingly notified
this country that hereafter American
ships bound on lawful and peaceful
errands would navigate the waters of
the open sea at their peril.
Unfortunately, Mr.. Helgesen's atti-
tude on the rights and duties of the
United States. as indicated by his vote
in favor Of the resolution warning
Americans off belligerent ships, and
by other expressions made on differ
ent occasions. leaves no room for
doubt as to the accuracy of the quota
ton. and the people of this district
are therefore placed in the humiliat-
ing position of advocating. through
their representative in one branch of
the federal congress. the shameful
surrender if vital principles In defense
of which other Americans have not
hesitated to sacrifice their possessions
and shed their blood.
We could have waived our rights.
MIR. Helgesen says, without losing
them. OF what value are rights
which must be waived under the only
circumstances which make their as
sertion useful or necessary? The
right of peaceful people to sail the
seas at their pleasure in times of
peace is not challenged. 1t is freely
be insisted on. and what is insisted on,
is the right Of those same people to
travel freely on their own affairs in
time Of war, subject only to the regu-
lations and restrictions and the hu-
name provisions which have been ac-
civilized nations OF the world, and
which Germany has now declared that
she repudiates.
Mr.. Helgeson would have had this
nation months ago waive the right of
American citizens to protection aga
deliberate murder if they were found
Oh the ships of other nations, where
they had an unquestioned legal and
moral right to be. Presumably he
would have Americans now, in re-
Spouse to this new demand, keep their
own merchant vessels out Of the wa
ters where another power declares
they shall not go, and deck out the
other ships. which are graciously per
mitted to go and come In the convict's
garh of stripes. with new checkers
board flag, invented in Germany, and
prescribed in regulations issued from
Berlin, to provide them the protection
which they can no longer find under
the flag Of their own country.
Mr.. Helgesen says correctly that the
American people do not want war. but
we are confident the American people
would go through a dozen wars rat'1-
er than make the ahiect and shameful
srrrenrer which he declares should
be made.