The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1917-04-13

| ines and warns the neutrals to stay out
though in plain violation of our rights
and Of international law. We know
that these acts are not aimed at us but
intended to injure and cripple her enc
my, with which she is in a death strug-
gle.
eve refuse to yield; we refuse to
forego our rights for the time. We
insist upon going in.
In my Judgment, we could keep out OF
the war with Germany as we kept out
Of the war with Great Britain, by keep
ing our ships and our citizens out OF
the war zone Of Germany as we did
out Of the war zone of Great Britain.
And we would sacrifice no more honor
surrender no more rights in the one
case than in the other.
1sBut we are told that Germany has
| DESTROYED American lives while Great
Britain destroyed only our property
Great Britain destroyed no American
lives, because this Nation kept her
ships and her citizens out Of the war
| zone which she sowed with hidden
mines. But are we quite sure that the
real reason for war with Germany
| is the destruction of lives as dlstln-
! guished from property, that to avenge
/ the killing Of innocent Americans and
! to protect American lives war becomes
/ q duty!
Mexican bandits raided American
towns, shot to death sleeping men, and
! women. and children in their own homes
We did not go to war to avenge these
deaths. We sent an armed expedition
into Mexico to hunt down and punish
the bandits. Away out from the Mexl-
can border the soldiers Of Carranza, OF
the Mexican government, which we had
recognized, met our soldiers, shot the
American flag from the hands OF an
American soldier, shot down to the
death our soldiers, and Carranza, IN
stead Of disavowing the dastardly act
defiantly approved and ratified it. Yet
we did not go to war to avenge the de
struction of American lives and the
insult and assault on the American |
flag. We were willing to forego our
rights rather than plunge this country !,
into war while half the world was in !
confa grafton. I approved that course
then; I approve it now.
''Why can we not, why should we I
not, forego for the time being, the VIC
lation of our rights by Germany, and
do as we did with Great Britain, do as
we did with Mexico, and thus save the
universe from being wrapped in the
flames Of war.
Il have hoped and prayed that God
would forbid our country going to war
with another for doing that which per
haps under the same circumstances
we ourselves would do.
Are we quite sure that in a war
with Germany or Japan, if our fleet was
bottled up, helpless, and our ships of
commerce had been swept from the
seas, all our ports closed by the enc
my IS fleet, imports of fuel and food
and clothing for our people and ammu
milton for our soldiers were denied,
with our very life trembling in the
balance, we would not, in the last
struggle for existence, strike our enc
my with the only weapon Of the sea
even violation Of internation-
al law? Would one contend that I'M
der the circumstances our submarine |
should permit the landing
at the ports Of the enemy arms and am /
munition with which to shoot down our
brave American boys when they had /
it in their power to prevent it? Would |
we demand of our submarine command |
ers that they give the benefit Of the j
doubt Of questions of international law
rather than to the safety OF our country
and the lives Of our own soldiers.
'tWar upon the part Of a nation is
sometimes necessary and imperative
But here no invasion is threatened.
Not foot of our territory is demand
el or coveted. No essential honor is
required to be sacrificed. No funda-
mental right is asked to be perman
ently Welded or suspended. No nation
al policy is contested. No part of our
sovereignty is questioned. Here the
overt act, ruthless and brutal though
it be, is not aimed directly at US. The
purpose Of the proposed enemy is not
our injury, either in property or life
The whole aim and purpose and effort
are directed at powerful enemy with
which she is in life and death strug-
gle.
/ 'TThe causes for which we are now
| asked to declare war could have been
| given with equal-yes. greater-force