The St. Joseph observer., 1920-05-08

Country With All His Strength.
There are few cases of more out
rageous injustice to an American
who is American through and through
than was found in the utterance at
Joplin of the charge that Senator
Reed of Missouri at some time and
in some mysterious way "condoned"
the sinking Of the Lusitania.
Apparently this absurdity origiuat-
ed in factional malice at or about
the time of the Democratic conven-
tion Of April 22. Who started it, aud
why it was started, and in what form
il was started are matters of minor
consequence. The fact of conse-
Cuence is that it is absolutely false.
The record shows that in speeches
in the Senate and elsewhere Senator
Reed of Missouri has denounced over
and over again the crime of the as
sassins of the Lusitania, and de-
nounced it with a fervor of indigna-
ton and pathos Of detail exceeded
by no other man who has ever spok-
on on the subject. He has done this
not merely dozen times or a score
of times but probably half a hundred
times. His attitude toward the atroc-
ity and the tone Of his condemnation
OF the German perpetrators have
never varied. We quote two exam-
pies, the first from a speech deliver
ed in Milwaukee soon after the hid
eous event, and the second from a
speech he made in the Senate as re-
Gently as November II, 1919:
January IA, 1916
Germany embarked upon a policy
which violated every principle of in
| ternatfOnal law, every mandate of
divine law. Instead of capturing
vessels she proceeded to send them
to the bottom of the ocean. Her
submarines lay in wait in many in
stances and without ever giving pas
sengers a reasonable opportunity to
take to their boats and trust them
selves to the dangers OF the deep sent
them to the bottom without reason
able warning and without the chance
! of escape. What man is there
who dares protest against the Ameri-
can governments endeavoring to stop
the wrongful slaughter of our citi-
zens and the outrageous interference
with our commerce? 1 say without
! equivocation that the American, ma
tive or foreign born, who now pro-
tests against this act of our govern
ment is not a good citizen of the
! United States and ought not to be
permitted to live under our flag"
November II, 1919
"On May 7, 1915, the tragedy Of
history occurred, an event that was
so black and so hellish that after its
occurrence no man could doubt the
cruel purpose of Germany. . E. Off
sassin of the sea in wait, and the
German commander, with finger to
the electric button. waited for the
fateful moment when he could send
into the bowels of that ship a deadly
torpedo. He pressed it in obedience
to the command of his government,
Mt
went down this palace of the sea,
and men and women shrieking to
God for mercy went into the eternal
silence and night Of death, and moth
ers held up their babes as they went
down that the little ones might have
last gasp of breath"
These two extracts from officially
recorded utterances by Senator Reed
on the subject of the Lusitania ought
to be enough to convince any honest
mind of the shameful wrong done
him at Jo- in. If not, there is plenty
more evidence Of the same non-con-
, doning sort.
tHS A"iSS Niie'i 30 10 INC hoiS Out'
rageous because it is directed against
the Senator who perhaps of all those
who helped to resist and overwhelm
. President Wilson's project of inter.
national supergovernment has showr
the greatest political courage and
made the greatest political and per.
sonal sacrifice for the sake Of whai
he, a Democrat. believed TO be right
New York Herald. April 80. 1920.
And Don't You Forget It!