zaaltilje SCmoIia Tribüue.
Lct UsLook Fa
VYeigh Probabilifies With Care and Pre
pare For The Perils.
From the
At thcbecnnninc of this war.
thc Euglibli vvholly uiideresüm-
atca Oermany's strength and
cndurance and resources. They
aiso overrated their own capa
city. , '
"The big Spring drive will
end it." they said in the fall of
VJl$. ;;We will nmddle through
till Kitchener's new army is
ready. Then it will soon be
pver."
You knoAV Avhät happened.
- rAnd all the world knows that
if France had not sacrificeä hcr
self so magnificently and Rus-
. . , Eia had not squandered millions
of lives, England would have
been whipped to a siuish by
Germany before the war was
5 ix months old.
Now, we ought, above all
things, to avoid these two cr
rors that England nude.
Wc muät not verrate our
X capacity and we must not un
derrate the German war machine.
The sensible, patriotic thing
to do is to look at facts as they
arc, to weigh all the probabili
tics and to prepare for the
futurc Situation as it may be
and not as we think it ought
i "" : ' to be. '
S , The man who gocs about
I boasting that we can whip the
universe on-nand and crying
that Ocrmany is exhausted and
ready to fall on her knees is not
only ü fool, but he is a nuisance
and a nienace to his own coun
try's interests.
, It ought to be thoroughly un
derstood at once that if we go
tö war with Germany we play
right int the hands of the Ger
man military 'caste and make
the allies' defeat as nearly cer
tain as anything can be that is
yet in the future.
Mark you, we do not say our
defeat, but the allies' defeat.
Lct us look at 'thu matter
sensibly and dispassionatcly, for
it is a matter of vital importance
to us to thoroughly tinderstaud
what problems war has in storc
ior us, if we go to war.
In the first place, Germany
will cither whip thc allies this
ycar or not at all. If she is
titrong cncjgh to whip the al-
lies, the only way we couldi Germany while the war lasts,
save them would be to bring' as these ships have been lost to
an overbalancing fmancial, mi-,hcr any way, so far as any use
litary and moral pressure to h concerned. '
bear on Germany within the
next cight months.
Can we do that?
Undoubtedly we can finance
the allies with billions, if we
are fcols enough to waste our
wealth. on those bankrupts. But
the time has gone when sinances
would have any decisive weigh t
in this Conflict, but the sinances
HAVE ALREADY been found
and used in the preparation of
all the means that will be used
in this final decisive campaign.
If we gave our wholc accu
mulation of cash to England
and France and Russia to-mor-row,
that gigantic wealth would
not alter the naval and military
preparation of the combatants
ior the coming struggle by so
much as a gun battery.
For the whole available man
power and factory povvcr of all
these nation s has been and now
h engaged in thc work of pre
paration; and money, whose
power is to outstay an adver
sary in long warfare, is no
longer a factor that can alter
the result of the frightful strug
, gle that is approaching.
Mr. George's assertion that
thc last $5sJÜ,ÜÜ0,(XX) would -win
the war had truth in it two
years ago. Now it is a mere
catch phrase.
Remembcr that wc arc speak
ing solcly of thc Europcan Situa
tion, becausc, so far as WE are
concerned, if. we . arc unfortunate
enough to get entangled in this
war, our sole and our strong
bope is indeed in our vast
wealth, by which we can out
last nation already greatly ex
bauzted and financially bank
rupt. But tiliat we can at this time af
fect, Germany- powerfully pre
pared onslaught on the allies on
land and on sea by bol.stering
up England's treasury with our
cdh is a fool's dream.
Therc remains to be consider
cd, then, what military and
naval assistiuee vc can give
thc allies during the next cight
iiionth. l"ive words will au
fcwcr that question:
cts InThoFace
N. Y. American.
WE CAN GIVE THEM
NONE.
We ought never, under any
circumstances, send a single
Amcrjcan .soldier to be slaught-
cred in . Lurope . 13ut even
such folly should be decided on
wc CANNOT POSSIßLY send
an American army anywhere
this year. Becausc it is going
to take all this ycar and another
year besides to recruit and to
cquip thc very smallcst army
that is needed FOR. OUR OWN
DEFENSE against probable
attack.
do lar as our navy is con
cerned, it is now a highly ef
ficient wcapon of defense, but it
is not equipped for offensive
rxtion at a distance from hörne.
Its strength consists alrnost
vvholly in dreadnaughts.
But thc British and French
navies now outnuniber the Ger
man navy three to one in bat
tlcship and batue cruiser
strength and yet can do nothing
lo destroy thc German high
seas lleet, safe bchind the öe-
fenses of Ilcligoland.
And it we were wniing to
leave our own coasts undefend
cd, which the nation would not
endure, and to send all our bat
tleships and cruisers to Europe
an waters, the German fleet
v.'oul still be as safe as it is
to-day bchind those impregnable
defenses.
Wc have no tast scout crui
sers, no submarines that can go
to sea, no aircraft, no any
thing to add to the offensive
strenfrlh of the British and
French fleets.
As a means of defense of our
cvvn coasts our navy is ad
mirable. As an offensive wea-
pon against a safcly hidden
high-seas fleet in German - wa
ters it is of about as much
practical value as a popgun
And every ofsicer of our splen
did ships knows this. ,
Thc German nation hak no
merchant marine afloat, so that
thc füll dahiage we ' coufd " do
in that line is to seize the in
terned ships a loss which
would not have the slightest mi
litary or cconomic effect upon
It is very clear that we can
give the allies no naval or mili
tary aid that will have any de
cisive effect upon thc war this
ycar or next year.
, In the meantime, if we are in
a state of war, we shall certain
ly require and demand the füll
output of our munitions fac
tories, our aeroplane factories,
our submarine factories, our
uniform and harncss factories,
our automobile factories, our
chemical factories, our meat
and provision packing plants,
our steel works and thc rest of
the industries that have kept the
allies going and made it pos
sible for them to prolong the
war.
England, France and Italy
would be as effectually cut off
from American sources of sup
ply by the pressing nceds of
America!! preparation as by the
submarin e warfare of Germany.
In the meantime, the sub
marine warfare of Germany will
almost certainly deprive Eng
land of sufsicient food and
France and Italy of the coal
vvithout which their war facto
ries and their all-important
railroads canuot be operated.
For thc momeut the German
submarine commanders are rc
lcased from all fear of sinking
ships at sight, on aecount of
danger to Amcricans, that mo
meut no part of the high seas
will be safe for any merchant
ship, -and the Atlantic and Me
diterranean seas will be vast
death traps, over which it will
be impossible to indtice sailors
to voyagc.
Hampered by American re
strictions, the German subma
rines have nevertheless succeed
cd in destroying an average of
20,000 tonnagc per day for ma
i,y weeks past.
The German naval staff in-ti.-ts
that it can sink 1,000,000
tons of shipping a month
WITHIN THE BLOCKADE
LINES, if thc submarines tor
pedo vvithout warn mg. And if
they calculatc coiisideiitlv upon
that bag within thc blockade
I lincs, what will they do when
all regard for neutral safety" is
destroyed by America 3 partici
pation in thc war; and the sub
marines are at liberty to prow
thc seas and torpedo anything
a float anywhere in the ocean?
The reasonable supposition is
that they can and would sweep
the seas of commerce, partly by
destroying it and partly by
frightening neutral ship-ownerg
into declining the nsks o;
voyaging.
ihc figures that are common
ly used to show the available
seagoing tonnage that could
have to be destroyed to
affect England's supplies of
necessities are gross exaggera
tions.
So far from having 50,000,000,
JU,000,U0U, or even ZU,000,0U0
gross tonnage of seagoing
ships available, the total quan-
tity of British, French, Italian
and neutral seagoing tonnage
possibly available for carrying
supplies to Lngland, I'rance and
Italy is not above 10,000,000,
The amount of tonnage enter
ing British ports during 1916
was somethmg in excess of 11,
000,000, and, of . Course, much of
this. was a repetition of the
same actual tonnage, as the
same ships registered time after
time.
In normal years, Great Brit
ain Imports about 12,000,000
tons ot tood supplies. At that
there is never as much as six
weeks' supplies on band.
The food supply of London
is exhausted every four days
In addition to the importation
oi tood from abroad, ßntain
must ship food for her huge
armies in France, for her ar-
mies in Egypt ,in Mcsopotamia,
in Greece, and for her navy;
and she must find ships for the
far greater task of keeping her
navy and her armies supphed
with recruits, with weapons,
with ammunition, with all thc
btilky supplies of the camp and
field; and she impcrativcly must
keep France' supplied with coal,
since the French coal mines are
in German hands.
Now, figures are very apt to
err unless one allows wide mar
gins. There lies before us on
the table at this moment the
World Almanac for 1915-1916,
containing a "Ilistory of the
War, in which thc Icarncd
writcr proves by thc most
painstaking calculations of man
power .that the Central Lmpircs
wöüd collapse from exhaustion
of reserves by May 1, 1916. The
rather ndiculous aspect this
mathematical prophecy wears in
February, 1917, is a warmng
not to trust figures too far.
But if we assumc that the
German submarine fleet can de
stroy no more shipping bound
to England than it has been de
stroying for some weeks, under
hampenng conditions laid down
by us, then in ten months the
shipping available for carrying
supplies to England cannot pos
sibly coal France, supply Eng
land s overseas armies and feed
England. It is impossible that
the destruction of 5,000,000 tons
of shipping can have any other
result than to put England un
der the stress of starvation.
And if the German submarines
can destroy shipping at that
rate, while operating under re
strictions demanded by us, it is
very reasonable to supposc that
trrey will take a much higher
toll when they no longer care
whether or not they sink ships
carrying Amencans or flying
the American flag.
If they can double their
present daily bag, they will re-
duce England to starvation be
fore we can nre a shot in es
fective warfare and before the
Summer offensives on the Som-
mc and other points can even
become threatening to Ger
many s defense.
rurely from a military stand-
point, our participation in the
war will prove a far greater
;ielp, for many months, to Ger
many than to the allies. It will
be another case of Rumania s
supposed aid on a far greater
scale.
And we believe that " it will
prove .fatal to the allies if Ger
many is any way near as well
equipped to deal destruction at
sea as she is tbought to be.
Thc argument that England
and France can build merchant
ships as fast as they are de
stroyed will have no weight
with well-informed men. Under
the stress of great need, the
British yards turned out less
than 600,000 tons ,of shipping
last year. And the reason is
that neither the yards nor the
labor can be spared from the
far more urgent need of turning
out war material.
Xo thinking person disputes
thc ability; and foresight of the
German military and naval
staffs.
No thinking person bclieves
that the German Government,
after yielding so long to Amer
ican demands, would delibcrate-
ly throw away American friend
ship and risk war with America
unless they had weighed all the
rcsults and had the reasonable
prospect of crushing their ad
versaries before our assistance
could become powerful enough
to save Germany's enemies.
The German calculation is to
bring down England by a dcad
lier blockade and a far more
crushing starvation, than Eng
land has been able to exert up
on Germany, BEFORE the
United States can possibly re
scue England.
After that, Germany probab-
ly calculates that she can make
peace with us when the cause
of war between her and us, if
we do make war, is automatical
ly removed by Europcan peace.
lhesc calculations may sau.
But it is foolish to underrate
their menace or to believe that
they cannot possibly succeed.
The Germans are past masters
of thc art of war and when
they risk. their all on the suc
ccss of a campaign for which
they have prepared for two
years, no man of sense will
weigh lightly the power and
menace of such a campaign or
say foolishly that it cannot win
victory. j
As for ourselvcs, if we do de-
termine to go to war over Ger
many's submarine blockade of
England, we should begin and
ceasdessly carry on the tre
rnendous, preparation necessaryj
to defend ourselvcs in case Ger-!
many wins victory over the al
lies with that very blockade.
vor if Germany emerges from
the mighty battles that are
about to open on land and on
sea a victor, we must, if we
are wise and prudent, expect
that she will not hesitate to
turn her mighty armaments
against us, if we have made
war upon her.
Ihe Germans will argue that
we waited to attack them until
the world had been led to be
lieve falscly that they were al
most overpowered by the great
odds they have fought against
for over two years and there
will be bitterncss in their
hearts.
There will be, too, another
incentive. We shall be the on
ly nation on earth still posses
sing vast wealth, and from
whom a Europcan Combination
might bope to extort the cost
of its own huge warfare if it
could beat us in war.
New York City alone could
be put to a ransom great
enough to put the finances of
the Central Empires in shape
agaüi if the Central Empires
could beat our fleets and force
a landing of their vast and
victorious Veteran armies on
our soil.
Now, believe us, there is &
great deal more true patriotism
in putting these facts and these
possibilities plainly before you
than there is in bragging, rant
ing, reviling and making an ass
of one's seif in the holy and
beautiful name of patriotism.
War is a business proposition,
citizens, in these days. It is a
question of efficiency just
exactly as factory or störe com
petition is. x
We will wm or lose any
war upon which we venture
precisely as we leave rant and
tirades to cheap notoriety hunt
ers and broken-down political
akers and get down to brass
tacks and common sense, busi-ness-like
preparation.
Cannon and nfles and bayo-
nets and ships and aircrafts and
submarines and equipment and
drilled officers and men win
wars not loud mouths.
If we are going to fight a
first-class Power, we ought to
drop every other national , in
dustry and consideration and
turn the whole country into a
war factory.
Othcrwise wc will be beaten
and ruined, just as some of
these cocksurc and bull-head-
edj Europcan combatants are
going to be beaten and ruined,
because their rulers and their
press have lied to them, brag
ged to them, bclittled their
enemies to them anef led them
traight to the abyss of de
feat with their eyes shut.
Countrymen, lct us not imit
te this monstrous folly.
The instant war begins, if
we do go to war, a period of
lystena will begin and for a
time thc bildest braggart and
the most impudent du nee will
e populär heroes.
But lct us who dccply and
iuccrclv love our most dcar
country, and .who are . neither
braggarts nor dunecs, but in
telligent and sensible men and
women let us keep our ears
open to reasonable discussion
and to the truth at all times.
Let us face situations as they
are.
Let us insist upon knowing
the facts. ,
There must be a censorship
of military and naval rnove
ments, of Course.
But we ought not to permit
any such censorship 'as that
which has constantly deceived
the peoples of Europe, which
has lest them in ignorance of
the sentiments of other coun
tries, which has labored to in
flame hatred and every other
ugly passion by monstrous in
ventions and tales of enemy
savagery, lest without that
Stimulus they might cry for
peace with their former neigh
bors and end the designs of the
governing castes.
Let us insist that we are
not children to be put in lcad
ing strings, nor serfs to submit
to the crack of the whip, but
brave, upstanding, free and in
telligent men and women, who
are not to be cowed by unhap
py news of temporary defeat
and who have the right to know
and are determined to know
what is being said and done
at home and abroad, in our own
country nd in the enemy coun
try. Let us insist upon freespeech
and free discussion. We can
make war without wearing muz
zles. Let us insist that our fleets
and our armies be used to
fight only for America!
We want no allies. We will
have use for every American
dollar and every American ship
and every American soldier m
defending America.
We have no strength and no
wealth to squander in this Eu
ropean quarrel. Let those who
made that insane war fight it
out at their own cost and their
own peril.
And, above every other con
sideration, let us begin now to
prepare the means of waging
gigantic war in our own de
fense, whether we actually go
to war now or happily escape
that catastrophe at this time.
For war we are sure to have,
sooner or later.
The calculations and agree
ments and preparations of Rus
sia and of Japan embracc ' the
intimidation or thc defeat of the
United States as a preliminary
to dividing Asia and establish
ing dominion over the Pacific
just as surely as they embrace
the spoliation of poor China.
We must be ready for ultim
ate attack in the West as well
as for attack in the East, if we
engage in war with Germany,
and to be ready to meet that
gigantic peril, countrymen, we
cannot spend too much of our
wealth or set to work too much
of our skill and labor.
Prepare !
In that one word is our whole
duty and our only safety.
Mr. Hearsfs Im
pressive Editorial.
We Quote from Mr. Hearsfs
Editorial, which has made such Im
pression in Congress, as mentioned
in yesterdays dispatch of our Special
Representative in Washington, the
following essential parts:
The country has taken the Presi
dent's declslon with a gratifying ab.
sence of hysteria.
There was, of course the peren
nial ruah of Colonel Roosevelt to
öfter the lives of himself and his four
sons five in all; and Governor Sid
ney Gatts of Florida formulated by
telegraph a remarkable naval Pro
gramme, which was to lead the fleet
to attack instantly and so either end
the war in twenty-four hours or
leave Airs. Gatts a widow.
But for the most part Americans
kept their heads and talked modcstly
and sensibly.
That augurs well for tha future,
because in war, as in any other
business, he makes fewest mistakes
and wins most points who calmly
and soberly sizes up the task ahead
and uses his brains Instead-of his
emotions in planning his conduct.
As matters now stand, we go to
war with Germany If Germany car
ries out the Programme of blockade
announced by the Imperial Govern
ment Above every thing eise, we should
absolutely resolve upon keeping out
of any alllance with England or Rus
sia or any other European country
during this war.
The financial Interests which have
loaded themselves with British and
other foreign war obilgatlons are
beside themselves with delight over
the prospect that the American
people can now be induced to as
sume a great part of the debt of
these European bankrupts.
But we should have tue good sense
to do nothing of the kind. Let us
resolve to use our own money for
American purposes and for Ameri
can purposes only. It Is bad enough
t bo dragged into a war which we
lhad no band iu etartlug and la
whlca we have no posstbio Chance
tit gaming anyming, wiuiouc uemg
asaea tü indorsa tae prormsaory
notes ot these lunatlcs who hava
been destroyliiK Eurone.
The people of tha United States
are wllling to finance tha Govern
ment of tha United States with bil
lions upon billions of cash and
I Credit. But we shall strenuously
resiet paylng England's debts or
I Russia's overwhelming obilgatlons
ior their war operatlons.
Having used France. Aussia and
Italy to do her flghting, we think lt
enürely too much for England to
want us to pay her bills.
There is another thing that needs
an expression of publio oplnion
and we shall not hesitate to speak
our tnind upon lt.
We shall strenuously opposa send
ing American troops abroad to ba
placed at the servlce of England or
any other foreign country.
We have all seen what has hap
pened to auxillary troops how they
have been placed In every desperate
Position and slaughtered by the tend
of thousands, while the "home
guards" were held in reserve. And
that is exactly what would be dona
with our boys, if we were fools
enough to send thena over the seas
to be eannon-fodder.
We have 5,000 miles of coast to
garrison and defend, and with plenty
of evidence to show that Japan is
only waiting for a favorable moment
to desert the allies and to strika at
us while we are involved in this
European broil, wo should be mad
men to strip our country of a single
soldier for foreign Service.
If we are wise and capable, we
will not underrate the difflculties
that will confront us as soon as war
ls declared, if it should be declared.
The British Government has made
tha bad mistake of deceiving its
people from the outset of the war;
of making them believe that their
enemies were weakening and soon
would be begging for merey.
That is why England is face to
face to-day with the most threat
ening Situation she has ever con
fronted. Because any man who
thinks that this German submarine
warfare is not a deadly dangerous
blow at England is feeble-minded
indeed.
It is only because the German
military and naval staffs have con
vinced the German Government that
they can crush England and France
and Italy with this weapon that the
German Government has decided to
use that weapon, even at the risk
of breaking with us. .
And we ought not" to make the
mistake of underrating the foresight,
calculation and power of the German
Organisation. It is a very wonderful
Organisation, and was never so
powerful and so dangerous as it is
to-day.
UNWARRANTED FEARS.
The Chicago Tribune has found
followers for its Statements, made
shortly before the breaking off of di
plomatic relations, viz. that the in
terests and the safety' of the Unit
ed States required that Engjand re
maln unvanquished. That viewpoint
has so frequently been repeated
since in press dispatches from
Washington, that it really appears
to contain the key to all mysteriös,
and to point at last the right way
through all the deceitful Statements
and virtuous misrepresentations,
such as duties of neutrality, human
ity, Civilisation, and international
law. The opinion seems to have
really prevailed in Washington that
England alone stood between us
and sure aggression from a victor
ious Germany, and that therefore
the Central powers should by all
possible means be prevented from
winning. Even the severanee of
diplomatic relations appears to have
been coneeived in the hope that it
might keep Germany from making
the blockade really effective and
tight.
That plan has miscarried. And
if American experta are right in
their estimate, the Allies and
especially England, will have to
give in after two months, if they
cannot raise the blockade.
It goes beyond understanding that
experts in strategy and world poli
tics could go the length of that
fallacy about Germany's further
aims. Any such Conflict ot Ger
many's making, would have to be
fought by her fleet in the Atlantic.
The aggressor must come, otherwisa
there can be aggressive words on
ly, which remain ineffective. Forth
with the British would see their
chance to retrieve their misfortunes.
That fleet would be without base in
the Atlantic. It would have before
it the American battle fleet, sand
wiched between two lines ot sub
marines, and in its rear the Brit
ish battle fleet, and besides that
its lines ot Communications would
be just as much endangered, as are
now the lanes of thei German merchant
marine to and from the Atlantic.
And just what Germany under the
greatest sacrislees has tried to pre
vent in this war in which, if we
had entered, wo would have had to
break into her lines, through her
submarine Cordon and mineflelds she
would bring about to the beneflt
of her present enemies, by going to
war herseif with us afterward.
Only under far worse Strategie cir
cumstances for herself. By going
to war with America, America and
England would at once. become al
lied In war on Germany. Can any
sober thought contemplate Germany
harboring such Insane designs,
out of pure desire for vengeance,
and executlng them after victory
in a war lik this one. Still, our
actions up to now seem to have
been dictated to a degree by such,
an estimate ot Germany's intelllg
ence. It is certainly Interesting to sea
from the press dispatches that
American experts give England only
two months time for her ability to
exist under an fully effective block
ade. and believe her unable to break
it with her over "water'' craft. If
the Engüsh fleet cannot do lt, no
other can. And that bespeoka the
probability, that there will be no
war as a consequence of tha break
ing oft of dlplomatlo relations, tut
that on tha contrary peace will re
sult, as soon aa England seos thoia
must ba peace. At tho same time
it proves that America can keep
any enemy from her shores by
submarines Just as well as German?
keeps ships of supply away from
England and France, It is a happy -thought,
that peace may be really
near. A peace which will show ho w
unfounded and Idlo that fear
of German alms aas been, and how
unnecessary the Prolongation of
this war and Its sufferings, as a
result ot a mlstaken lsaue. Since at '
last the trua inward motives for
American actions unfold themselves
wo sea more and more what
thotights, what mlsconceptlonc, whnt
mistakes have been covered by
high sounding phrases, and that too
will be a very Interesting lesson t.j
many.
Emigration and Immigration.
Great numbers will return !
their old home.
War craafes cpporlunities.
We quote. from "Issucs and
Events":
Very likely the fears of those over
cautious people, both üi Congress and
out of it, won't come true when they
predict that after the war we shall
see an enortnous Immigration from
the present heiligerem countrics.
Rather the reverse is going to happen
from all aecounts. There are cenain
facts and indications pointing that
way.'
Here, for instance, is one: A local
magazine has made inquiry at the Of
fices of the various steamship com
panies. The result may be brieily,
stated to the effect that one Million
two hundred thousand return pas
sages from America to Europe arc
alreädy contracted for, those to begin
to go into effect at once after the
cessation of hostilities. That means
thrice the average annual irumber of
repatriation cases. The great bulk of
those returning from this country to
their native land, there to end their
days in comparative comfort on the
accumulated savings of their many
years' residence "-ear, are Italian s,
proverbially frugal; Austrian and
Hungarian Slavs, also Serbians,
Greeks, ßulgarians and Montcnegrins
as well as a sprinkling of German or
English-speaking persons. The war
has held many here. who othcrwise
would have carried out' their longtinie
Intention of starting jack again for
home. That explains vhat othcrwise
would look like a phenomenon.
Among those who will also return
is quitc a big percentage of
"hyphens," L e., foreign-bom Amer
ican citizens men and women of
German speeca, also Austrians and
Hungarians.
Count S.-Tisza, the Hungarian Pre
mier, told the present vriter over a
twelvemonth ago that las government
was making organized and systenialic
effort to induce Hungarian farmers,
miners, railroad and sield laborers
who had settled here before 1014 to
return and take up Hungarian gov
ernment lands, most "f it locaied in
Slavonia, Croatia and the lower
southern Danube and Save distnets,
for homestead purposes.
Then agam the war over in liurop
has thinned the -anks of vvorkers.
There will be many penings of the
humbler kind awaiting the returnisig
emigrant. This applies to all the bei-
ligerent countries, more or less. Alto-
gether, instead ot increasea Immigra
tion, there will be, in all probabüity.
a not lnconsiaeraoie emigration.
Many of those, too, who sied from
Canada to this country in 1U14, and
alter, to escape detention camps, will
go back there.
All of which "will mean a loss to
this country in valuable human
material.
KEEPING THE NEWS
STRAIGHT.
,We quote from the Washing
ton Times:
The present crisis demands
that newspapers as well as in
dividuals keep their heads cool
and their news straight. Ihe
United States has not gone to
war yet, though it may do sa
at any Minute ; but in the
meantime it behooves loyal ci
tizens and especially the citi
zens who work for newspapers
and press associations not to
kindle a conflagration by fool
ish and unfounded rumors.
On Saturday we had thc
"news" 1 that the Housatonk
was sunk and everybody on
board was lost. It nowdevelops
that warning' was given, and
Provision made for the safety
of the crew, in füll compliance
with international law.
Yesterday it was reportcd
that the American liner Phila
delphia had been torpedoed with
a loss of 200 lives. The Phila--delphia
today is safe at Liver
pool. Yesterday morning papers an
nounced that two interned Ger
man cruisers at Philadelphia
had been seized by the Navy
Department, and their crevvs
locked up in Isolation barracks.
The Navy Department denies
this, pointing out that there i?
yet no reason for such action.
Such wild and unsubstantiat-
ed tales only serve to inflame
populär feeling and cause nn
necessary concern among the
relatives and inenus ot those
said to be affected. It is poor
patriotism for any newspaperor
any press association to spread
such misiniormation wtUionr.
consirmation.