The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-04-09


that those who are close to it and
charged with the responsibilities of
conducting II have their souls torn
every day with the anguish of suffer
ing humanity.
We are. fellow citizens. parties TO
this tragic and stupendous conflict.
A year of experience has taught as
much. A year OF experience has dis
illusioned even those who wanted to
believe that Germany had no such In
tentions as she has now disclosed in
the Russian catastrophe. IL Is only
tho simpleton who thinks or believes
that there is any benevolent purpose
or intention on the part of the Ger
man military autocracy. It's purposes
have been unmasked and II stands
pilloried at the bar of civilization.
America has come upon the scene.
not only because her safety was i'm
peri1sd, not only because her rights
had been ruthlessly and insolently
transgressed. but for another and
more irnpellng reason. She came be-
cause the voice of suffering and out
ragged humanity from those stricken
hattlefieids across the sea have touch
cd the soul of America and America
has sprung TO arms,
Kai@er's Insolent Order.
We received a command from this
despotic tyrant. the kaiser, on the
thirty-flrpt dav OF January, 1917. to
forego our rights as an independ-
emit people. He undertook to say, by
a decree signed in his palace AT Ber-
lin, that America should no longer
exercise her right TO sail unmolested
the high seas in the pursuit Of legiti-
mate commerce; and IL you will read
the memorandum attached 10 that de
claration which was lodged with the
then friendly American government
a few hours only before the decree
went into effect, you will find that
after ordering US TO keep Off the high
seas in zones surrounding Great Brit
ain, France and Italy. some 500 miles
In extent ne gractously added that he
would permit one American ship per
weak to ssil from America to Ply
mouth, England, and one American
ship to return from England TO Amer
lea, each week, provided what
That due notice should be given To
the kaiser that that single American
ship would sail a course specified by
the kaiser ami that II should ne paint
ed I'm alternate stripes Of red and
white. to indicate thst H. had his per
mission 10 g" n'ou he high seas.
He ordered Ills "a transform these
few America shrs into floating har-
her poles, ana sara mat "" must sun
n1t 10 that ln3}Eaitr. researches OF
the tact that under tHternAtlonal la"
we had az much right to sail the seas
rs any other nation upon tho earth
The high seas are the common proper
~ OF the world. and America won her
right TO the freedom OF the seas WITH
the blood Of American sailors and
soldiers.
We do not intend To permit the
Kaiser TO order the american nag OF
the htgh seas Ana We 30 nor Ihlsha 10
permit the kAiseF In ehA'aNc the word
America }h me oar gam "e uo NOT
intend TO 40 ~ unless the oiood OF
America has run yellow. and ms DC
monstrRtlon h"r" toalkht proves ah"N
wnat We a" knew 'fi@t amer s'"i'
blood Gun rnos red
ouT -sh~''c' ~ p'ha.-
our answer 10 t"' Aa'N.F aitc' ','e
ptaF Oh wa - ''s"''s "<N a'to h'1s~'' h@
neafrtnihai"" W "sh' ,IoS ~"a
nihsh UNI" ''", "'S' 's,s~Ac y, ''"'S
uessot'sin ~ ofNeh from tn@ e&'N'ia,
40 ,na' uic wv ptolS ~ a'n WIZ ="
shah never h' eIioahRsrt<i ak"1h'
RIO" car we nEat tt'1s Wat Su.Ve
iuily hdt Is me question: ot vac
houf' We Sah Heht II success s..',Nl u iI,
and we sp"" peht II Suc',ts's' u''S alo
NiototlousN' because az tIta' % net's-
btry is ~ ihhNe tHe amer '0"' 1890
nhoefstauH thF i.a' ISSUES INV w.
me seriousness % .tle tfe3'"I"tIo1N
mat nave 90 pe 'i%ot' me -
LOT me s ,',I .h"A ttuS' oe -"
oH1so !, nse.H - ~ sur Wy = az" '''S
ha'i"i.sl Sale'S - ~ ~ "a". "'''
foetSr@S -""''e III " "a"
Vuf prooisIl' 'e 20 ,siVa-l . ..,''e
WA fhisH,' !" " same y - 1rs'S,'' ,i3
upon tae oet''eif ""'. We hAN" "'@.
engaged IN tne wa TOT Il Feal' anu
want 10 ssSu'e you 'ia " "''' '--,-' ~
p1os'e Ss tiss oeri Hi@"e ~ '"tN - oa'
unoFeahi@ea oehooFasN III MAKING IL
self an organized ana po,eh'lal InIh
tary power. ny nature, ny Ual,ihs'
ny prlhe,pfe' oy uaaiIon, we nave
psSh an uhar Heo people VS. pes'eFeo
sincefsiy that universal peace was a
thing attainaoie IN the state OF cls'h-
sation tnat hsa been developed neLore
tns war broke out IN Eufope' ~ -
a hooie an" spaeh"'u taea'' VhtS i"s"i
OF universal peace' "neh men can
fraternize as orothers. when the rights
or men ana women shaIl De equai.
wnen al Inc peoples or the "ofIo
snail nave the rlgnt OF seI-oetefihiha-
tfon ana OIL sell government "heh
every people may I'VE IN sale'y' "heh
the KNOWLEDGE that territorial hS
grandizement is al nm enc ana tnat