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Show Our Friends Who Are Enemies Richard Harding Davis says that within tho past year tho old feeling of friendship for tho United Stntes In France has changed to contcmrt, caused In part by somo American contractors sending Franco some paper pa-per .shoes and worthless shells, hut mostly becauso of our president's proclamation of neutrality and becauso be-causo we did not fight when the Lu-Bltanla Lu-Bltanla was sunk. Thoso Impetuous peop'b forget that one of tho causes of tholr defeat by tho Germans In the Franco Prussian war was tho worthless ammunition supplied their nrmy by their own thieving contractors. England too, is sore toward us becauso be-causo wo do not openly espouse the causo of the allies and ascribes our position to love for the almighty dol-'nr. dol-'nr. Germany Is disgruntled because be-cause sho claims that we have favored fav-ored tho alllos to her disadvantage. , This means that they are all fearfully fear-fully wrecked by tho war and would If they could, lay tho blame for it on other shoulders than their own. At such n tlmo were It worth the while United States might easily establish es-tablish that in the past tho United I Statos ha a much higher and more honornblo record than any of her trans-Atlantic accusers. Except for the steadfast sense of Justice of tho English queen and the Invention ot the lltt'.e Monitor, our republic would havo had to fight . both Groat Britain and Frnnco Just j when It was fighting for life the southern sou-thern confederacy. In this connection, connec-tion, too, the part that Russia played play-ed In preventing England and France ' . from precipitating that war must never bo forgotten. As It was the story of tho Alabama from tho time, she, an English ship, armed with English guns nnd manned by an Eng'lBh crow wejit out to prey upon I American merchant ships, until tho final lescuo of her officers by nn English yacht, when tho plrato ship ( was sent, splintered and Bent to Its ocean grave by tho Kearsarge ought to parnlyzo every English tongue when It prates about tho lack of honor hon-or on part of our government and pooplo. When tho news of the sinking sink-ing of tho Matno reached Berlin nnd was read, every olllcer of tho army staff, save on'y tho emperor, expressed express-ed tho belief that tho sinking of tho ship was by the Americans to supply an excuso for, stealing Cuba. When our government declared war against Si.aln, Americans 'ire pushed push-ed from the sldowalks In both Paris and VIennn and In other ways Insulted, Insult-ed, whllo the press of southern nnd western Europe, in unison exulted over tho anticipated short work that Cervora's fleet would mako of tho paper pa-per navy of tho United States. As to tho American lovo for tho nl-mighty nl-mighty dollar, during tho past thirty thir-ty yours Amorlcan travelers must ' have spent three and n half billion 1 dollars In tho resorts of Great Britain, Brit-ain, nnd on the continent In Great Britain, France, Germany", Austria, Italy and Swltzor'nnd. During the pant year they havo spent tens ot millions of dollars In charity In Bel-Rlinn, Bel-Rlinn, nnd Franco and on every battle bat-tle lino In ICuropo nnd Asia. If tho record does not establish that tho Ameilcan pooplo aro a hlghor and a truer raco than any of their accusers, accus-ers, then facts provo nothing. In tho fifties It a matured lmrsol llvo years old was driven across tho plains to California, turned out poorj and broken spirited, then caught up thu next spring it was found that ho had grown halt n hand In holght. It was duo to tho pure air ot the table ta-ble lands, which he had been driven over nnd tho soft cllmnto that re celved him In tho Golden Statu. In tho same way millions of foreign born mon who would nover have been heard of In their nntivo countries, have made great fortunes nnd exalted exalt-ed names on this side ot the sea becauso on their coming this land or-oned to them all opportunities and bado thom go nnd do nny legitimate thing they pleased to. From It niv, taking In tho experiences experi-ences of tho past year, our people and lovornmont should determine novor to rost until our coasts aro fortified, our arsenals filled with war munitions; muni-tions; our depots mado ready with ill needed railway connections, Invention, In-vention, mechanics nnd chemistry exhausted ex-hausted to produce now Instruments of death; our navy In nil branches Increased In-creased to tho point ot real efficiency, efficien-cy, our air ships Increased and Improved; Im-proved; our people tralnod to arms, o bo ready, In caso somo alien pow. ir or combination of powers shall, hen their peace at homo Is mado try to recoup tholr empty treasuries by ootlng our country to bo roady to meet tho storm. Whllo this preparation le going on vo must with moro zeal carry on tho works of peace, dealing frank und fair with all peoples, prorldlng labor for those who need work; open new charities for thoso who aro helpless and need help; new schools for tho children of the poor who come to us; llvo without ottenso before men and nations and do what good that wo can. But If desplto our efforts, thoso beyond be-yond tho sea, on some pretext force a quarrel upon us and send their armies ar-mies and navies to wring tribute from us, let us be ready to welcome them with bloody hands to hosplta- bio graves In our soil, or in tho sea ' that breaks upon our coasts and make clear that liberty and Justice ,oxaltcth a nation and that whllo tho flag of our republic symbols peace, It also symbols Irresistible power. Goodwin's Weekly |
