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Show SPAIN SUSPECTED. Spanish sympathy with the cause of the central powers has cropped up again, and, according to information reaching tho state department, there has been some interference with ship- i incuts of goods purchased by General Pershing in Spain. It is also suspected that supplies bought by Spaniards in this country eventually find their way. into Germany. Consequently fi Spanish ships arc being detained at an Atlantic port until the whole matter is thoroughly ventilated. Spain has been making a good profit out of tho war, although there has been some scarcity of food. The balance of trade is largely in favor of the United States so far as Spain is concerned. Yet this country has been losing gold to Spain right along on account of our allies. Some time ago the government stopped the exportation of gold to Spain, Japan and Mexico without consent being first obtained, but there have been some shipments since. We must protect our gold reserve at all hazards if wo intend to be in position posi-tion to maintain our trade after the war. Countries like Spain, which lean toward the kaiser, should not receive a dollar of our gold and if it can be proved that there has been deliberate interference with shipment of supplies to our army in France or that goods obtained under false pretense in the United States have been resold to the Germans, all intercourse with Spain should cease and the Dons should be regarded as secret, if not open, enemies. c cannot afford to take any chances when dealing with an enemy like the Teutons. They have had conspirators in all countries in anticipation of the war now raging and we dare say Spain, or rather the ruling power in Spain, has been playing the part assigned by the schemers and plotters sent from Berlin to Madrid. According to the view expressed by-President by-President Wilson in his message to the conference of farmers at Urbana, 111., the culminating crisis of the war has come and this year's achievements will be decisive. . If this be true now is the time to screw down the lid on all the neutrals who are not pro-ally, for we cannot afford to risk the prolongation of the conflict by furnishing supplies to countries known to be favorable to the autocracy. Spain has been suspected from the very beginning and we are glad that the time has come for a showdown. show-down. ' The excuse offered for the non-arrival non-arrival of the goods bought by General Pershing is that the Spanish railroad system has broken down. Upon the surface this looks like a flimsy pretext for discommoding our troops in the field just at the time when they have begun active operations. This is not a case for j the diplomats, but for drastic action. j |