New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1917-05-30
MINNEAPOLIS ATTORNEY WANTS
TO KNOW JUST WHY WE ARE
IN THE WAR
SAYS. OTHERS BESIDES GERM
ANY ARE TO BLAME FOR
CONDITIONS

1
in churches and in the large business
houses, war has been talked and advocat-
ed in season and out of season. Red
Cross societies have been organized
among the women to work up a senti-
ment for the war. In the city OF Minnea-
polls, the Court House bells have rung
out patriotic airs to arouse the war spirit.
But evidently all this has been to little
purpose the great mass OF the people
refuse to be enthused. Enlistments are
very slow, very.
People Kept in Ignorance
'.The enthusiasts are asking the
question, What is, the trouble? The
trouble all along in this war has been,
both in Europe and in America, that the
common people do not know what they
are fighting for. The German Govern
ment has declared from the beginning
that it does not know what the war is
about and that It is fighting defensive
war. A short time ago, the Governing
Committee of the Russian Army asked
the Duma Government what Russia
was fighting for. In order to arouse
enthusiasm for the war, the American
Government must take the American
people into it's confidence, and tell them
frankly what the aims and purposes of
this war are. The first intimation the
world had of the object of the Allies was
when they answered Germany's peace
offer made last fall. The Allies, in short,
informed Germany that their purpose was
to destroy Germany and Austria by dis
membering them. The American
people are for peace and are vitality
interested to know what they are
fighting for, and there will be no enthusi-
asm on their part for this war ur1tI
they know. By reading the message of
President Wilson to Congress on May
3rd, in which he asked for q declarations
of war, we find that there are two main
grounds upon which he bases his de-
mand, When we come to analyze those
grounds we find that neither one of
them has any foundation in fact.
.'Let us take up the first one He
says that the reason why the United
States should declare war Against Ger
many is that, during THIS war Germany
has broken international law and has
become. the great outlaw nation ef the
world. Now Let uSsee if this will enthuse
the American people to, fight On August
6, 1914, few days after the opening Of
hostilities in. Europe, Secretary Bryan
inquired Of the Governments at war
whether they would be: willing to agree
that the laws, of: naval warfare, as laid
down by the, Declaration Of London in,
1909, should. be; applicable to the present
conflict. Austria+Hungary amd Ger
many replied affirmatlvely, but Great
Britain refused to be: bound by the Dec
Iaration of London unlessit was changed
to suit her purpose. The United States
Government then promptly withdrew
it's suggestions that; the belligerenE coun-
tries be found! by the Declaration Of
London. }%
Codification, is; Modemp
.'aThe Declaration Of Eondon- is the
most modern codifnahnn Of interna-
tional law on the, high seas It, covers
the following SUBJECTS Blockade in
time of war, contrabanG Of war; urneu-
trail service, destructian Of neutral prizes,
transfer of a neutral: flag. enemy ch4ac+
ter, convoy, resistance Of Search. and
compensation, IT., therefore, as will be
seen, covers all the: pDiMs that have; been
in controversy relating to rights ON the
high seas The Declaration of London
was agreed to and agped by representa-
Gives of the following PoaUerss: Germany,
The United States, France, Great
Britain, Italy, Russia. AUSTRIA japan,
Holland, and Spain Delegates from
all those countries having met at. London
on the invitations Of Great Britain. sat
as Convention, fram Decemhar 1865
to February 1907 This Declaration
has been approved by the President Of
the United States and was ratified by
! the Senate April. H. 1872 ReaEAdmiral
Stockton, United States Navy, retired
in his book ON International Law at
page So, says concerning it:
| whether formally ratified or moi
by the signatory and other powers, II
has the authoritative weight due to The
unanimous vote Of the representative
of the great maritime powers, and tt
their declaration that it represents thu
actual principles of international Law
upon the subjects dealt with"
eff Great Britain had been willing, a.
Germany was, to abide by this code
there would have been no dlfhcultie
between the United States and Germany
How can the American people enthus,
over a war, ostensibly brought to en-
: force international law, against natiol
which was willing to abide by this code
but was forced to disregard internationa
law on account of the unwillingness o
| her enemy? The American people vii
never believe that this Government wen
to war with Germany for this cause. Oh
February 4, 1916 after Germany's dec
la alton of "a war zone around Grea
Britain, the United States Government
protested in written communication
On February 10Th, of the same year, il
answer to this protest, Germany broad,
intimated that it would gladly with
draw from it's proposed submarin
warfare, should the American Govern
ment bring about the observation of tn
De ,laration of London and thereb,
render possible for Germany the legiti
mate supply of food stuffs and industria
raw materials. This, of course, we al
know, Great Britain refused to do. Oh
May 4, 1916, in answer to the note o.
the SJSSpY (Iarnnan1y aurood RI hide 4,