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Show The German Note THERE is nothing in the German note that an ordinary editor could not have dictated to a stenographer in twenty minutes. There is nothing in it that indicates a profound pro-found knowledge of law or the usages of astute diplomacy. It does not come under the plea of confession and avoidance. It is simply an attempt at-tempt to plead justification for a wrong, by charging charg-ing wrong to another. We take it that it was about the third or fourth note that was prepared; that the statesmen in the council of the kaiser's advisers prepared a note which the fire-brands in the council voted down; that then a firey one was prepared which was likewise voted down and then a third one was prepared with the intention of tiding over things for a few days to wait the result of the fighting along the different battle fronts in the east, west, south and on the Bosphorus. The plea of Germany that she has been but fighting a defensive war will hardly do. That was the plea in the Franco-Prussian war though all the world knew that Bismarck and von Moltke had been for years fighting back the old kaiser's determination to attack France, until Bismarck could maneuver to cause the over-confident emperor em-peror of France and has fanatical wife to precipitate precipi-tate a declaration of war. In the same way the present war was started. It is plain enough that Germany's purpose was to wage a war which should absorb Belgium a part of France and the Netherlands on the northwest, to make what was left of France a subject nation; to break Great Britain's power and make her on land and sea a second-rate and to all intents and purposes a subject power and to so change the map of Europe that she henceforth hence-forth should have command of both the North and Mediterranean seas. It will not do for her to claim now that from the first she has waged merely a defensive war. Neither is there any cause of bitterness on her part toward the United States for selling war munitions to the Allies. That is a right of neutrals that has always been recognized. There was not an American soldier killed in the war 'With Spain that was not killed by a German bul-'let bul-'let fired from a German gun. But it is hardly worth while to discuss this note. It was not expected by Germany that it would be satisfactory; it was sent, merely to mark time in the hope that something definite might come from the war. It is possible, too, that it was intended as a feeler, to see how much the United States Avould stand. But it was not happily worded. Some things in it show the arrogance behind the militarism of Germany, which reads a little like Admiral Diedrlch's message to Admiral Dewey in Manila harbor, to which the admiral replied by cautioning caution-ing the German admiral to keep out of the line of his fire. What would Germany have thought when our war with Spain was on, had our government sent her word that she would try to protect four of Germany's Rhips plying between Hamburg and Cadiz, from the fire of our warships, if Germany '' would put certain distinguishing marks upon the M ships that would designate what they were. M But as said above, the intention of the note H was evidently to mark time, and, maybe, to see H how much our country would concedo rather H than have possible trouble. ' H Wo hope the president's response to the noto H will be terse and will include the statement that t, H the laws of nations, governing neutrals at sea, ' jH will be the guide of the United States and until ; M she violates in some way those laws she will bo 1-j H accountable to no power for her acts, and close (j H with a reminder that the crime of sinking "the j; Lusitania has," as yet, received no atonement. ' H |