Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-12-28
GERMAN MADE GOODS

That a well organized and constant
" growing movement against the pur-
chase of German made goods develops
In the efforts that are now being put
forth In this country TO awaken senti-
ment and secure pledges TO further
the boycott. The depth and growth OF
this sentiment speaks i'll for German
trade. The movement is particularly
strong with British seamen and is a
retaliatory measure for the atrocitis
they have committed upon the seas
which have been particularly fatal 10
British seamen.
Whether or not the United States
has been sufficiently shocked into the
enormity OF Germany's offense against
the world to bother about boycott is
rather doubtful. AS a whole we are
80 easy-going. so good-natured that we
refuse to cherish any deep-seated
sense of hatred, particularly II 1t is
going to disturb our daily social or
commercial life. American soldiers
who have been overseas and have
viewed the blighting work of the Hun
will undoubtedly subscribe to the boy.
colt sentiment and practice 1t with
whole-heartedness. American rela-
tiyes of boys who have been killed in
the war or who have suffered impris-
onment at the hands of the Germans
will also support the boycott; rela-
tives and close friends of those who
suffered the Lnsitania martyrdom and
similar atrocities will never find it in
their hearts to buy German made
goods. And perhaps returning sol
diers who have first hand knowledge
of Germany's wantonness may be able
to influence their own coteries o.
friends
But the combined strength of all
these influences is small as compared
with our millions of population and il
the boycott is to be really effective the
movement demands the enlistment of a
nationwide influence such as seems
now to be attempted.
1t may be very understandable to
harbor hatred of even so cordially
hated an enemy as the Hun but it is
very human. And the spirit of the
boycott is not all that of hatred but is
composed much of horror. 1t will be
hard for us to see our children fond
ling German made Toy without pic
turing those poor little children in
Belgium and France with their pitt
fully manned hands. To see your own
babe with a German made doll is like
" to bring to you the thought that the
hands which may have had some part
In its fabrication may be the unpunish-
ed ones of that beast who impaled a
babe upon his bayonet--and laughed.
Seeing some bit of delicate fabric or
workmanship in the hands of your
daughter may give rise to the refiec-
ton that hands which may have helped
to form il are those which laid desc
Grating touch upon the womanhood of
France and Belgium. And when the
men of America are tempted to make
use OF superior German made gooos
perhaps they may picture wounded or
helpless. brave young Canadian SOL
diers being Drained by savage foe
for the pure joy of killing the help
less.
So long as the people of America
carry vivid picture of the work of
the Hun in their minds they will need
make no pledges of a German goods
boycott for their own hearts will cause
them TO despise these goods as they
despise the principles of the people of
the nation which produces them But
we are a charitable. tolerant and for
giving ration-we Americans-an we
forget quickly. So. in its own insid-
ious way--the same in which she man
aged TO influence our national thought
and life--Germany may succeed in re-
storing herself to her former place in
our commercial life. In our social
life however. she will ever remain
an Ishmael. None of us with spark
OF patriotism and sense of honor, or
even decency, can ever grasp the hand
of German soldier in comradeship.
We should fear to see our hand stained
with the blood of that little child held
shrieking on a bayonet's point; we
should fear that a merciful God had
not granted that beast the balm of a
death in the trenches.
WHY ABANDON THIS LEAGUEl
1t is with real regret that patriotic