The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-07

lin papers ON the erican
situation is that President Wilson has
failed to grasp the real significance
of affairs in Europe and has misin-
kterpreted Germanys position and in
tentions. The Lokal Anzeiger says:
President Wilson has failed to
judge the situation from the lofty
heights of non-partisanship and is
unwilling to cooperate in preventing
further misery and sacrifice. He
has shut his eyes to all the motives
which, after mature deliberation
caused Germany to employ. the most
effective weapon in her power against
the most inhuman of her enemies
"It is scarcely believable that Pres
ident Wilson does not believe in the
seriousness Of our decision" the Lo-
kal AnZieger continues. eff he real
ly expects that we will draw back
if he believes that the breach of dip
lomatic relations will cause us to
change our mind, he embraces an
error which may have the most dan
gerous consequences"
The paper concludes with refer
!. ence to the presidents message to. the
senate, in view of which it says that
it, is unwilling to believe that Presi-
dent Wilson wants to participate in a
war which is explicitly waged for the
destruction of the German people,"
No surprise at the turn of events
is expressed by the Tageblatt, in
which Theodore Wolff writes a pas
sionless leader. Referring to Presi-
dent Wilson's expression of hope that
other neutrals will follow the lead of
the United States, HERR Wolff re-
| marks:
European neutralsl probably do
not view things in quite the same
light as the President of the United
States. They are not separated by
the ocean from the arena of war and
they have had the rhiseries of war
before their doors for 81 months
They also know better how Germany
is inspired with power and tenacity
Of will
President WILSON, writes George
Bernhard in the Vossiche Zeitung
lis unwilling to believe that Germany
will do what she says. He errs. This
time there is no backward step for
Germany
Herr Bernhard adds that Ger
many's submarine policy, as announc-
ed year ago, was based on Presi-
dent Wilson's note of Jan. g regard
ing armed merchantmen. He charges
that President Wilson changed in
February the principle announced in
January.
The Kreuz Zeitung repudiates the
idea that the submarine campaign is
dictated by any hostility to Ameri-
cans and says that Germany "is only
fighting to protect women and chill
dren, the sick and the weak from a
lingering death decreed for them by
a mercileSS enemy
"The Kreuz Zeitung is satisfied
that European neutrals will not follow
the example Of America. "They will
say" it comments, that they would
have to bear the burdens of carrying
on the war in quite another sense
than America. They will also ask
lies in their interest to help to
alton of England, whose hard hand
they have had to feel often enough
in these 81 months"
4 Count Won Reventlow, in the Tages
Zeitung, hesitates to accept the tele-
words. 'It would be unusual al
least said this writer, ''for the Presi-
dent to express himself in such a
| threatening tone implying that he be-
lieves that he can cause the German
empire to yield by a threat as it did
last year."
Count Won Reventlow, after assert
ing that Germany is fighting for its
rights and is compelled to use al
means at it's command, adds:
'If the United States cannot and
will not recognize this natural right
and it's application, we regret it. But
we Germans are unwilling to renounce
a natural right and one which from
no standpoint is indefensible.
Count Won Reventlow concludes
that, all in all, the breach in diplo-
matte relations was not unexpected
by the German people, destroys none
of their hopes and interferes with
none of their calculations. "On the
contrary" he says, ut clears the all
and puts firmness and irrevocableness
in iGermany's decision in a manner
which we Germans hail with serious
satisfaction"
The Neue Fret Presse says:
President Wilson acts as . if sub.
marine warfare were a bolt from the
blue-something entirely due to lust
for destruction. Has he forgotten
what the Entente has done to prevent
the Central powers? He he forgot
ten that it openly declared to the
world that Austria-Hungary must
perish and the German political pow
er be crushed?
''How can President Wilson speak
Of the freedom of the seas when the
British a few days ago blockaded by
mines the coasts of Holland and Den
mark? Never has President Wilson
treated Great Britain with even a
sem blance of severity. Help for
Great Britain has always been his in
nermost thought. He could have
ended the war by stroke of the per
without violation of neutrality OF
even materially hurting Great Britain
Honest recognition Of submarine war
fare would have been his best course
He failed to take advantage of the
opportunity. In his heart he is sid
ing with the Entente and calls upon
other neutrals to follow him. This
ruse has small chance of success"
The Neue Weiner Tageblatt says:
1.-THE German government in its
note Of last May reserved full free
dom of action if America failed to Sc
cure obedience by other nations tic
the laws Of humanity Germany
therefore, cannot be blamed if Presi-
dent Wilson suddenly finds himself