Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1917-02-02
THE SERIOUSNESS or THE STU
ALTON DEMANDS SOBEENESS
OF SPEECH.
(Trom Tho New York American.


The seriousness OF this situation
| demands sober reflection and eau
tiops comment
Tho Central Empires have accepted
the allies rejection Of their propos-
ais to negotiate and the allies pub
lshed programme Of defeat and dis
memborment of the Teutonic nations
as q challenge to q war to the death.
They state their purpose to meet
defiance with defiance, to oppose con
quest with conquest, to throw away
the scabbard and put the issue Of
national life and death to the arbi-
trament of the sharpest sword
The momentous declaration, Of
course. is that the German Govern
mcnt win no longer enforce the re7
strictions il has enforced upon its
submarine commanders; that it
means to wage a war of blockade
and starvation upon England in re-
taliation for the war of blockade and
starvation which England has waged
upon Germany; and that it will APP
ply the rigors OF this warfare with
| no more respect to neutral commerce
than England has shown.
The shock of this decision is due
/ TO its suddenness only.
No sensible American expected
| that a high-spirited and powerful
people, such as the Germans are,
would continue to submit to seeing
! their women and children starved by
sea warfare without eventually
striking back at their enemies on
! the sea.
When Mr.. Lansing formulatedN q
I policy OF stern repression Of German
injuries to neutral commerce and
\ policy of haccid and nabby notes ia
I Intellectual reprobation Of British, i'm
| juries to neutral commerce, he
shaped our country's course toward
! this most serious situation with un-
\ erring certainty. for he was demand
ing tnat Germany submit to condl-
tons which we Americans would
never submit 10 at the dictation OF
any othernation.
But While we deplore the results
! OF ~ pOncy whose -sightedneSs
and danger we have repeatedly
pOinteu out, we cannot stop now 10
quarrel or cayil over tnat tremen-
dous blunder.
we must all face the situation in
when we are placed unnappily and
unnecessarily, as we beheve--and
Jake counsei together as TO the na-
tions course.
Eventually the coGrse OF This coun
try, in this grave emergency, IS III
tiie hands OF the President and OF
tne Congress, ana we c;ln only nope
tnat tuey can tnd way TO Keep tne
nauon IN the path Of honorable
peace.
we are sure that tho whole mass
Of our cluzenfy is anXiousiy desirous
mat this country remain aloof from
inns insane and Dloodily brutal War,
whcn has degeneraped into mas-
sacres BY machinery and the starva-
tion oi women ana children and the
aged and helpess; a war III which
there is little chivalry and immense
lsAVuSefy; and a war when VIII leave
no tree white nation strong enough
to maintain itself against Asia II ~
continues mucn longer and we arc
ins.ne enough TO waste our own
riches and strength and means of de-
tense Dy participating in It's mad de-
struction OF the white race.
we arc sure, too, that the Presi-
denl lis anMously desuous as any
other citizen to keep the nation out
OF war, as long as war can be honor
ttLAN dNOiANQst
We should consider il criminal
and traitorous TO use inilammatory
language or appeals to emotional
partisanship at such time as this.
Il is q time TO walk warily, to de-
eide cody, TO be very sure. OF each
step and very confident or each de-
cislon.
And certainly we must assure the
4 President that Whatever tho issue
may be, the nation is loyalty behind
hint,
This serious situation entirely
justiies his powerful efforts TO ini-
tiafe peace negotiations and his
warning that the war could not long
continue without bringing neutrals
within its menace.
We are profoundly hopeful that
our own. peate can be maintained
and that Mr. Wilson win find a way
70 do so with honor
His Judgment, his foresight, his
siatesmanship arc equal 10 the prob
lem Of avoiding war, if 1t can be
avoided.
That we know.
And all that the country can now
do Is to wait for him to speak It's
voice and to direct its course.
Ne DO indeed hope and trust that
: II win be his great and happy lot to
find way III which the nation can
walk both in reace and in honor.