Show j We Dare Not Run the Risk RiskA A GERMAN torpedo boat the other night attacked at at- 1 tacked and sank the ton Fren French h passenger passenger pas pas- steamer which was carrying KJ yi 1300 French officers and men home to France rl It was believed at least lost their lives The according to British reports was being used to repatriate the French officers officers oHi cers an and en according to terms of the Ger Ger- man French armistice It was said that the had had been been informed of the and nd that the German government had gu guaranteed the safe passage The Th vessel was flying Hying the French flag Hag and the French colors were painted clearly clear ly on her deck and sides The ship was fully lighted and not under convoy The torpedo boat reportedly gave the passengers and crew rew only five live minutes to take to their boats and fired on the vessel every time an attempt was made to tos s signal the ships ship's name and character About three weeks ago the British liner Star carrying some 1500 German and Italian prison prisoners rs to Canada for safekeeping safe keep ing was torpedoed in broad daylight by a German German Ger Ger- man submarine with the loss of perhaps as asi i many as one thousand lives These Thes two incidents prove that Germanys Germany's war yar on shipping is not a s selective war but a sink sight on on sight affair with no quarter and no noI J I effort t to establish the identity of attacked vessels vessels ves ves- sels or nonbelligerent their status Germanys Germany's 1 sea raiders shave ave proved that they have no noI I compunction bout about sinking vessels loaded with I f their own citizens with citizens of their ally Italy or with citizens of a nation which they have conquered who are being repatriated under under un un- un der an an- agreement for their safe conduct home That's a warning to America particularly now when congress is considering a proposal that th t American ships unarmed and convoyed un be sent to England to bring thousands bring thousands of Eng Eng- ish children to this country for safekeeping during the duration of the war There ThereS There'S t s no question as to this nations nation's provide homes for these English children The American people and the American American Ameri Ameri- can can government have already expressed willingness willingness willingness will will- to care for many many thousands of them But it would be the height of folly for America to accept the responsibility of transporting transporting trans trans- porting them across the Atlantic A German attack on one of these rescue ships flying the American flag with heavy loss of life of the children aboard would be worse fr from r the standpoint of provocation to w war r than the sinking of the battleship Maine It might easily so arouse the American people as asto asto asto to carry this nation on a wave of horror and hatred right into the middle of the European conflict We dare not run that risk We dare not take the chance that the nazis would in th the case of these rescue ships show the same callous callous' indifference indifference in in- t difference and disregard for nonbelligerent vessels or assurances of safe conduct that they i have already shown in the case of the and the Star We simply must must- face the fact that in this war we cannot depend on orf German decency humanitarian methods or solemn sol sol- promises Certainly we dare dar not risk an incident which might easily lead us into war on r any German sense of right or p pledge edge of honor |