OCR Text |
Show OVERT ACTS. Bv the destruction of the American fliip Algonquin without warning the Hermans have committed an act of war against the United States, but whether it shall be the overt act which means war rests with the government at Washington. Wash-ington. We have overlooked so many acts of the same kind acts much more serious than the sinking of the Algonquin Algon-quin that we probably shall permit that incident to pass pacifically like many another which would have justified justi-fied a declaration of war. When tho Laeonia was sunk and two American women perished in open boats an overt act was committed, for the Germans had not provided for the safety of the passengers in accordance with international law. When the Algonquin was sunk bo. Americans lost their lives, but international law had been violated because no warning was given. Washington Wash-ington sees a chance to regard the sinking sink-ing as partly 'justified by the fact that the ship carried 'Contraband. That contraband con-traband was food. Germany could make ordinary ballast Contraband if she wished and claim justification. The government at Washington evidently evi-dently has determined "that war shall not be declared by congress unless the overt act is so clear and indefensible that all Americans will instantly recognize the justification. A battle between a merchant mer-chant ship .and a submarine would be such an overt act, for in that case an American vessel would be deienclmg itself it-self against an unlawful attack by the submarine. To understand that the sinking of the Algonquin was an overt act we have but to consider what sort of ships are being armed. Certainly ships carrying food will be armed' to resist attack. Therefore There-fore a ship laden with contraband foodstuffs food-stuffs would have a right to battle with a German submarine if attacked as the Algonquin as. attacked. The arming of our ships is almost certain cer-tain to cause war. The chances are that a number of our ships will be sunk before a German submarine is destroyed by gunfire. If the Germans carry out their threats they will be especially determined de-termined to sink American ships that enter the barred zones armed. That they w ill succeed in sinking a greater number than they havo sunk in the last six weeks may be taken for granted, for there will be more of our ships in the forbidden areas. The Germans will sink without warning every American ship they can reach, and our ships will be at a distinct disadvantage if they must wait for signs of being attacked. About the time our gunners recognize the enemy's intention to attack their ship will be blown up by a torpedo. The only effective way of dealing with German Ger-man submarines is to fire on them without with-out a second's hesitation. |