8
HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH
Establishtd iSji
PUBLISHED BT
THE TELEGRAPH PRIXTIHG CO.
E. J. STACK PO LB
Prtsidtnt and Editor-m-Chitf
T. R. OTSTER
Stertiary
GUS M. STEINMETZ
Manafint Editor
Published every evening (except Sun
day) at the Telegraph Building, 21C
Federal Square. Both phones.
Member American Newspaper Publish
ers' Association. Audit Bureau of
Circulation and Pennsylvania Associ
ated Dailies.
Eastern Office, Fifth Avenue Building,
~:ew York City. Hasbrook, Story &
Brooks.
Western Office, Advertising Building,
Chicago, 111.. Allen & Ward.
Delivered by carriers *t
Mailed "t'o
at $3.00 a year in advance.
Entered at the Post Office in Harrls
burg. Pa., as second class matter.
Iwors dally average for the three
★ months ending April SO, 1915.
21,844 - ♦
Average for the year 1914—23.213
Average for the year 1913—21,377
Average fop the year 1912—21,17%
Average for the year 1911—18,851
Average for the year 1910—17.496
SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 13
WHERE THEY STAND
APPARENTLY there has been
some doubt in Europe as to
where foreign-born Americans
would stand in case of war between
the United States and any of the con
tinental powers. German newspapers
have gone so far as to assert that
German-Americans would be found on
the side of the Fatherland in such a
struggle and there have been ridicu
lous rumors in Berlin papers of "civil
war" in this country in case Germany
and America went to arms against
each other.
There has been no more staunch
supporter of Germany and German
policies anywhere than the New York '
Staates-Zcitung, a journal of unusual
strength and widely read by the Ger
man element in this country. When
It speaks it is as one with authority,
and yesterday it made itself clear on
the position German-Americans take
with respect to the possibilities of war
with the imperial government:
Nor is this a time to burden mil
lions of the American people with
unjust and unnecessary anguish of
mind The German-Americans must
suffer in anv conflict between the
United States and Germany pains
of which their fellow citizens can
never know anything. It is rather
a time for showing them the great
est degree of consideration. They
fought to uphold the Hag In the
past and they will do so again,
against any enemy whatsoever.
Thev deserve the fruits of past loy- i
altv, until they have forfeited the
right to clhlm them. There has
never been but one flag under
which the German-American has
fought. There never can be but one
flag under which he will ever fight.
And that flag is the Stars and
Stripes.
That settles once and for all time j
where the German-American stands. ;
The Staates-Zeitung said just what *
the country expected it would rfay.
Nobody who has any knowledge of !
the history of the United States from J
its very inception could have looked j
for anything but the most patriotic j
conduct on the part of German-Ameri- j
cans. It is natural that they should j
look back fondly to the place of their j
birth. It is a tribute to their loyalty I
and their love of country that this is
so. Nobody can complain that they
fthould prefer the cause of Germany
to that of the Allies in the present
Var.
But when it comes to a choice be
tween the United States and Germany,
that is a horse of an entirely different
color. In the Revolution, the War
of 1812, the Mexican War and the
Civil War, Germans served the nation
with distinctive gallantry and brll
llajiey and not a few of the men who
won undying fame in those conflicts
were either of German birth or ex
traction. The same will doubtless be
written after every crisis the country
shall be called upon to face. The
German-American has no cause to be
ashamed of his past and he faces the
future bravely and patriotically.
THE FULL CREW REPEAI.ER
IN consideration of the bill to repeal
the full crew act now in his hands.
Governor Brumbaugh is confronted
by arguments for and against which
will doubtless have his best thought.
The fundamental question is not the
pleasing of one side or the other.
What the Governor must determine!
free of all other considerations, is
whether the Full Crew law is neces
sary to the proper handling of trains
and whether its repeal will involve'
danger to the public or decreased I
safety in the operation of the railroad
lines in Pennsylvania. Both sides are
insistent and each will urge that the
other is In error.
Railroad officials and others declare
that the law is a hardship and bur
densome to the railroad companies;
railroad employes as vigorously main
tain that the provisions of the law are
necessary to the proper handling of
the trains. Governor Brumbaugh
must exercise his best judgment and
determine which side Is right.
PROTECT THE PARKS
FRK COMMISSIONER TAYLOR
has been much annoyed, and
with good reason, by the de
structive tendency of property owners
here and there to utilize the
Rank as a dumping ground for all
their surplus tree trunks, branches
and other forms of refuse. He has
been extremely patient in protesting
against this sort of thing, but It would
appear from a recent occurrence re
ported to the department that It will
be necessary for him to Invoke the
SATURDAY EVENING,
law to prevent further destruction of
this character.
One day this week, immediately
after the slope had been nicely graded
and the planting thereon completed
by a force of park employes, an Indi
vidual deliberately threw over the
slope several branches of a tree which
he had trimmed. This not only de
stroyed the planting, but conatttuted
a serious breach of good citizenship.
Ans* citizen who has the welfare of
the city at heart should be extremely
loath to do anything that will en
courage mischievous tendencies of
this sort. It ought to be the pleasure
of everybody to assist the Department
of Parks in its splendid work instead
of discouraging what has been under
taken for the benefit of the entire
population.
Of course, the incident to which
attention has been called may have
been without the knowledge of the
owner of the property, and in that
case it would seem a prompt protest
by Commissioner Taylor would be all
that is necessary to prevent a recur
rence of the offense. An arrest or
two of those deliberately responsible
for a continuance of the dumping
operations in spite of protest may be
necessary to enforce the rules of the
, department.
| These are the parks of the people
I and those who are indifferent to their
| care and protection must be made to
: feel the strong hand of the munlcl-
I pality.
A TIME TO HESITATE
THERE is disposition here and
there throughout the country to
curb the evident tendency of
railroad "corporations to boost their
freight rates. There is also consider
able criticism of the interpretation of
public utility measures in the interest
of the corporations. It will be most
lamentable and unfortunate should
the old spirit of "the people be
damned" again become dominant In
the management of our railroad sys
tems.
For a year or more the people have
been coming around to the thought
that the railroads have been suffi
ciently punished and that In punish
ing them the people themselves have
been injured. It remains for the rail
road managers to avoid doing any
thing that will break down the atti
tude of fair play which describes the
present feeling of the people toward
the railroad interests.
It is generally understood and ap
preciated now that there has been too
much investigation and regulation and
legislation for the good of the country,
but it doesn't follow that the railroad
managers with short-sighted visions
shall be permitted to return to their
old and foolish practices. If they are
wise, they will play the game fairly.
President Wilson in clear and unmis
takable language has set forth the right
of Americans to travel on the seas
witl»out danger from those who hap
pen to be at war N In this crisis all the
people are back of the President and
will support him In whatever conclusion
seems wise under the circumstances.
There is no disposition on the part of
the great body of our citizens to en
gage in war. All regard with horror
the butchery which is now despoiling
and destroying the nations 'of Europe.
But, should it be necessary to resort
to arms to maintain the national honor,
there can be no doubt that our people
would be a unit in the support of the
Government.
PROSPERITY AT ANY PRICfc
MARK TWAIN tells us that the
lamented Buck Fanshaw would
have peace if he had to send ten
men home on stretchers to get it. This
Administration is determined to create
prosperity if it has to publish a maga
zine to convince the people prosperity
is here.
Hence the newly started monthly,
"The Federal Reserve Bulletin," the
first issue of which appeared May 1,
and which is to be issued regularly—
at the expense of the Government—
and which will be replete with news,
editorial matter and a complete ques
tion and answer department, and other
attractive features to be added later.
The Federal Reserve Board an
nounces that the "Bulletin" is design
ed "to facilitate the work of the Fed
eral Reserve Banks," but, judging by
the first number, its primary purpose
is to convince a doubting public that
it is folly for the people to consider
Vanished bank accounts, lack of
work, or the high cost of living, be
cause the genuine, all-wool-and-a
yard-wide, biown-ln-the-bottle brand
of the WUson-McAdoo prosperity is
here, and those who do not realize the
fact have only their own stupidity to
blame.
TWO IMPROVEMENTS IN ONE
WHILE City Commissioner Harry
F. Bowman's plan to lower the
city's two giant water mains to
a point beneath the bed of Paxton
creek at State street will mean an
additional improvement for Harris
burg's water supply system, the change
will serve another purpose: it will per
mit the closing of an awkward gap in
the concrete basin, insuring an un
interrupted flow of drainage through
the great gutter—in other words, the
completion of one more of the munici
pality's public improvements.
With the exception of a rnmplfl
tlvely small section In the vicinity «sf
the State street bridge, the Paxton
creek bed is now practically concreted
from one end of the city to the other.
Under the State street bridge the two
30-lnch mains that carried the whole
city's supplj\of water to and from the
Reservoir had been exposed by the
excavations for the creek improve
ment. The pipes, in fact, swung In
the air some twenty Inches from the
bottom of the stream. -Just what
might happen should the big tubes
become broken or cracked by frost or
other causes is a matter of conjecture.
Now Mr. Bowman proposes to lower
these mains to a safe distance below
the surface. Of course this will cost
some money, but the worthiness of the
expenditure can be appreciated readily
when it is understood that the placing
of the necessary valves on the mains at
either side of the creek will mean an
improvement of immense importance
to the city system. Furthermore, the
change will be made with but little or
no Inconvenience to anyone.
[EDITORIAL COMMENT]
o s?'' fol "d Plnphot has been ordered to
I Apparently there Is no haven
or rest for Bull Moose, on this globe.—•
Brooklyn Times.
Puke of Orleans complains be
o™!"' can't enlist In any lighting
"as he sent his application
down to Mexico?— Chicago Post.
. It leaves an ugly taste in the mouth
io reel les» concerned over the out
come of the war as our Income from the
war grows.—Wall Street Journal.
It is insisted by the friends of Theo
dore Burton that he is a Presidential
possibility, notwithstanding the handi
cap of his first name.—-Kansas City
Journal.
Startling revelation before the in
dustrial commission—the Pullman
porters eke out their living with tips!
\\ hat can we do about this amazing
state of affairs?— Chicago Daily* News.
Elbert Hubard suggests that the
great Powers of the world "agree to
reduce their standing armies to a cer
tain per capita, say to that which the
l nited States possesses." In that case
there might he trouble In the Swiss
army; both of them might want to be
the general.—Wall Street Journal.
Fortunately for Mr. Barnes, of New
York, he doesn't need that $50,000.
I—Boston Transcript.
Why not give Huerta a grandstand
seat along the border and let him
ejijoy himself?— Baltimore American.
"I do not repent of anything I ever
have done." says Huerta. Another
job for Billy Sunday. New York
Telegraph.
"It is a woman's victory!" exultantly
declares Mis. William Hale Thompson,
wife of Chicago's Mayor-elect. Which
well may cause Mr. Thompson to won
der just who's going to be Mayor of
Chicago the next two years.—New York
Morning Telegraph.
Japan is testing her new diet by try
ing to assimilate China.—Philadelphia
North American.
Fighting in the Carpathian passes has
nothing on the fighting here for base
ball passes.—Wall Street Journal.
When we get a "favorable" trade
balance through a decrease in imports,
who is favored? —Wall Street Journal.
WILSON AND TAFT
[New York World.]
President Wilson's keen apprecia
tion of Mr. Taft's loyal and patrioticl
support is shared by tho American!
people as a whole. That is the way)
they like to see a former President i>e- j
have in such trying times. Mr. Tat't
is not trying to tear anybody "to
pieces." He is trying to help his coun
try and his government through a
grave crisis.
TAFT AND PEACE
Although the Senate did not support
him. Mr. Taft did more than any other
responsible statesman in the world to
substitute arbitration for war. and his
proposal of a Peace League of Nations
is entitled to serious consideration.
There is no prospect in the immediate
future of anything of this sort being
realized, but this war will leave the
entire world eager for any means of
avoiding hostilities, and the proposal
Is something definite to work for.—
Philadelphia Record.
AN EVENING THOUGHT
I have been young and now am
old: yet have I not seen the
righteous forsaken nor his seed
begging bread.—Psalms 37:25.
IN HARRISBURG FIFTYI
YEARS AGO TO-DAY
[From the Telegraph of May 15, 1865.]
( hnngr I'lavr For Muaterlnir Out
It Is understood in official military
circles in this city that plans are under
way to have the place for mustering
out Pennsylvania troops changed from
Camp Curtin to some point in Cumber
land county.
Aak For Memorial Trees
The Superintendent of Public
Grounds has been asked for his opinion
on planting memorial trees in honor of 1
the late President Lincoln. 1
Adopt Resolutions
The Union league, of this city, met j
last night and adopted eight resolu
tions denouncing the work of the as
sassinators of President Llncolnr-prais-
Ing his wisdom while in office, calling
for the severe punishment of the men
who were implicated In the murder, and
offering to support President Johnson.
NEWS DISPATCHES I
OF THE CIVI LJVAR
[From the Telegraph of May 15. 1865.] i
Governor Brown Captured
New York. May 15. Dispatches re-j
.ceived here report the capture of Gov
ernor Brown, of Georgia. He was taken !
to Louisville.
Smith and Mngruder May I.rave
Washington, May 15. lt i.« believed
In military circles here that Kirbv i
Smith and Jaek Magruder will hold
out as long as possible and then leave
for Mexico or Havana.
\ew Secretary
Washington. May 15. James Har
lan to-day entered uoon his new duties
as Secretary of the Interior.
FLEMING HOME
TO CIVIC CLUB IS BEAUTY SPOT
la «Mll pending in the court of Dauphin county the question of
I title to the handsome house bequeathed to the Harrisburg Civic Club
by the late Sirs. William R. Fleming. This heautiful home immediately
adjoins the pumping station at Front and North streets and is at the present
time a bower of floral beauty, the planting and shrubbery about the house
being most attractive. It is the hope of the ladies of the Civic Club to make
this house their headquarters and to have their committee meetings and
general gatherings at this place. The outlook upon the Susquehanna River
from the porches about the house is not surpassed in scenic grandeur any
where.
HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH
[EVENING CHAT I
Harrisburg people are commencing
to figure out what to do about the
observance of Memorial Day and In
dependence Day, both of which fall
on Sunday this year. Every six or
seven years, when this coincidence or
whatever it may be called comes
around, businessmen ask questions
i about the day to observe. When
Christmas comes on Sunday, Monday
is generally selected as the day to
celebrate. This often happens when
the other holidays fall on Sunday, but
there are some people who get mixed
up every now and then and who
have to ask questions. Half a dozen
men spoken to yesterday said that
they did not know what they would
do. The .banks will observe Monday.
Some of the business people say that
they will observe Saturday, as it is a
half-holiday anyway. The chances
are thiit there will be a preparation
for the holiday on Saturday, religious
observance on Sunday and a real
holiday on Monday.
• • •
John Rirkinbine, the chief engineer
of the State Water Supply Commis
sion, who died yesterday, began his
distinguished career in this city. His
father was the engineer who built the
I Harrisburg city waterworks before
| the Civil War and Mr. Birkinbtne
was a member of the corps of engi-
I ners in charge of the work. He per
sonally supervised some of the con
struction and installation and made
friends who welcomed him back to
the city when he became the head of
the important commission in charge
of the water resources of the State.
He was a man of high attainments
and wide reputation. ,He was one
of the keenest admirers of Pennsyl
vania and he often declared that t,he
Susquehanna was "one of the miiet
beautiful of rivers.
• • •
The big beds of hyacinths in Capi
tol Park got a new name yesterday
afternoon when a couple of young
sters came along with their mother.
They had been feeding the squirrels
and pigeons and their attention was
attracted by men engaged in taking
out the plants and preparing the beds
for the later flowers. Finally, one of
the kids could restrain himself no
longer and cried: "Mother, look at
the man digging oniojis."
• • •
Yesterday's ideal weather was the
cause of a boom in business for the
jitneys and they were on the go all
day to take care of the people who
wanted to go to the city parks and
to take trips about the suburbs, "it's
the fair days that we enjoy," said one
of the operators. "Every nice day
and evening we have all the business
we want and we can make a good
thing of it, but when a rainy day
comes the folks get back to the trol
ley cars. They say that they are
afraid of cars skidding and other
things. I was told that one of the
rainy afternoons this week cars were
run crowded to capacity and I .just
stood on the corner."
• • •
Just as an instance of the detail
work that the State's highest officials
must do, it may be mentioned that
at the meeting of the Board of Public
Grounds and Buildings on Thursday,
the Governor, Auditor General and
State Treasurer were called upon to
decide whether to sell an old horse
belonging to the Corttmonwealth and
to discuss some tenders for some dis
carded furniture. The act of a few
years ago, which was designed io
save the board the necessity of acting
oiv such detail, appears to have made
matters worse.
* * *
Tt is probable that, the State Fede
ration of Labor will meet here two
years hence, as many of the members
are favorable to meeting here when
the legislature is in session. This is
the plan pursued by the agricultural
organizations and enables the men
to get into touch with the lawmak
ers.
f WELL KNOWN PEOPLE]
—Emerson Collins, of Willianisport,
mentioned for the Public Service Com
mission, is one of the well-known ora
tors of the State bar.
—Col. Samuel Moody, of the Penn
sylvania railroad, has changed the
names of the North Side station in
Pittsburgh to Allegheny.
—A. S. McGregor is in charge of
the erection of the new Mines building
at Pittsburgh.
—John O. Sheatz, former State
treasurer, has gone to Mexico on a
business trip.
—E. C. Knight. Jr., of Philadelphia,
has been elected president of the
Bound Brook Railroad.
—S. P. Wetherill, of Philadelphia,
has returned from California.
f DO YOU KNOWI
That tilts city one of the big
points of interest to automobile
tourists?
AUDITOR GEKfHL
NOMINIITION NEXT
Legislators Are Among Those
Mentioned For the Place to Be
_ Filled b Next Year
BALDWIN MAY ENTER, TOO
Legislators Looking Up Their Bills;
Personal Gossip of the
Closing Session
Pennsylvania's woods appear to be
full of candidates for Auditor Gen
eral. The office is to be tilled at the
election next year and the man to be
elected will succeed A. W. Powell in
May, 1917. A sucftessor will also be
elected to State» Treasurer R. K.
Young at the same time, but this of
fice is not attracting as much atten
tion as the auditor generalship. Both
offices carry salaries of SB,OOO with
some trimmings.
James P. Woodward, of McKees
port, chairman of the House appro
priations committee, has been men
tioned for both places. Senator C. A.
Snyder, of Pottsville, will be an out
and-out candidate for the Republican
nomination and his friends are al
ready getting busy in his behalf. Con
gressman E. R. Kiess, of Lycoming,
is also being spoken of in connection
with the office to which he aspired
some years ago, and there is also
talk of ex-Auditor General A. E.
Sisson, of Erie, being boomed for the
place which ho tilled so well and
where he made a record in receipts
and in handling corporation taxation
that has never been equaled.
Representative Richard J. Baldwin,
of Delaware, one of the veteran
members of the legislature, will be
boosted for the Republican nomina
tion by Delaware county and many
men prominent in eastern counties
will line up for him. Baldwin is
known to many people all over the
State and would make a strong cam
paigner.
President pro tem. Charles H.
Kline, of Allegheny, is another legis
lator who is being talked of for the
nomination.
—Representative Walter Young, of
Lykens, is not among the disappointed
members. He did not introduce a bill.
—The Cumberland members fared
well with their bills. They got them
out of committee.
—Representative Kb.v, of Perry, is
home from the motor club run.
—Representative Walton, of New
Castle, is keeping an eye on the third
class city legislation In the Senate.
He steered it through the House and
when he goes home will start his cam
paign for congress.
—An item will likely be inserted in
the general appropriation bill in the
Senate to take care of the cost of
painting the north cotridor of tho
Capitol.
—The chances are that the House
appropriations committee will reduce
the highway construction fund to $7,-
500,000. Action will he taken Mon
day, when Chairman E. E. Jones, of
the roads committee, will have a con
ference on the bill.
—The workmen's compensation bills
will be reported out Monday night
when Chairman Crow will have a
meeting.
—Governor Brumbaugh Is expected
to clear up the uncertainty about the
appointments next week. It is said the
Public Service Commission will be
named Tuesday.
Events of Tomorrow
The Rev. J. S. Smith, new minister
of Fourth Street Church of Christ, to
preach tirst sermon.
Baptism of converts in Susquehanna
at Verbeke street under direction of
New Cumberland Church of God.
Major Dan 'Morgan Smith, former
"wet" lawyer, to talk on prohibition at
Derry Street United Brethren Church
at 3.15 in the afternoon.
Pokoson Tribe of Red Men to attend
Pine Street Presbyterian Church in a
body at 7.30 o'clock.
(OUR DAILY LAUGHI
[ Could n't you
]| ' spare me Just one
|9S know yet how
ISA many I'll need
when my fianc*
AM. OVER.
The groom was jjMhrT^
reneroui,
Upon his wed- / •/
He took her to the HhQO
And gave his_J y
bride the slip. '
Vf m n NOT EXACTLY
"LU V 7 LI DEFINITE.
1 can ' t afford to
-Jm m marry for five !
Will you
ffT — for me?
ji : ® Yi-'CJ Certainly—lf no
i_! : 'one else marries
me before then.
His "Type Pipe"
John Wanamaker recently
described his advertising as the
"type pipe" that caught up a
flood of Information and convey
ed it in an orderly manner to
possible customers.
There Is a point to this met
aphor.
And it leads direct to news
paper advertising.
In laying pipes the natural
form of construction is not to
build them broadcast but to put
them where you want your prod
uct to go.
A newspaper "type pipe" goes
directly Into the homes without
waste or lost motion.
Manufacturers seeking infor- I
matlon about newspapers are In- ,
vited to address the Bureau of
Advertising. American News
paper Publishers Association, j
World Building, New York.
MAY 15, 1915.
THE CARTOON
WHERE ALf AMERICANS BELONG I.
—From the Philadelphia Public Ledger.
*
ATest for the American People
Arc We Great Enough to Subdue Our Passions in the
Lusitania Emergency?
By GEORGE W. KIRCHWEV
Kent Pifofossor of Law, Columbia University
THE latest exhibition of German
"("rightfulness" in waging war
puts the American people to the
test. Are we sane enough, strong
enough to look the situation calmly in
the face and highly resolve to safe
guard the civilization of which we
have become almost the sole trustees,
or shall we give way to the passion
which the German outrage has pro
voked and join in the madness which
has all but wrecked that civilization?
There can be only one answer to that
question. We shall not go to war over
the destruction of the Lusitania with
all its precious freight of human life,
not to avenge the slaughter of our
fallow citizens, not to vindicate neu
tral rights, not even to save the sacred
body of international law which is
dally being outraged. We shall not
become partners in the destruction of
the civilization which we have,
through half a century of peaceful
striving, aided in building up.
And this is not because we see any
justification for the act in question.
There is no warrant for it either in
International law or in the practice
of civilized nations. If, as the Ger
man Government asserts was the case,
the Lusitania had been in fact a con
verted cruiser, her destruction with
those on board, while still an act of
barbarism, would have had a tech
nical justification in international law.
Even neutrals may lawfully be re
quired to accept the consequences of
traveling in a ship of war.
But the Lusltania was not a ship
of war. but a peaceful merchant ves
sel, and the utmost risk, which, under
the rules of international law, her
passengers assumed was the danger
of having- their voj'age interrupted in
case she should be taken as a prize.
The ship was, indeed, liable to capture
and probably to destruction, but the
crew and passengers, being non
belligerents. were clearly entitled to
be taken off in safety.
On this point there can be no hon
est difference of opinion. The rule that
"before a prize is burnt or sunk the
captor is bound to provide for the
safety of all persons on board," is as
serted by all authorities on interna
tional law and this has been the In
variable practice of all civilized na
tions in modern times. Nor can it
make any difference that the ship was
conveying contraband of war. What
ever the nature of the cargo th« ship,
being an enemy vessel, was liable to
capture or destruction, and the per
sons on board, whether enemy sub
jects or neutrals, were immune from
capture or destruction.
But, say the German apologists.
Great Britain is making war on the
innocent population of Germany by
her blockade, a war of starvation," and
the imperial government is merely re
taliating by making war as best it can
on the Knglish people. Even .if we
should admit this argument as a
ground for repudiating the settled
principles of international law as be
tween the belligerents—principles set
tled on grounds of humanity and civi
lization—it is obvious that It can have
no bearing on the rights of neutrals.
The right of reprisal, the lex talionis,
is, indeed, in some sort recognized In
international law. If the Germans use
poisonous gases in the trench warfare
LE.TTERSTOTHE EDITOR 1
V———————— -i
MIDDLETOYVX BRIDGE
To the Editor of the Telegraph:
Dear sir: I see by a Philadelphia
paper that "Congressman Lafean is
making an effort to have a State
highway constructed between York
and Dillsburg, so as to divert the busi
ness of upper York county to York,
| because for many years Harrisburg
j has been getting the bulk of the busi
! ness in upper York county."
Should not this rouse Harrisburg
businessmen, and Dauphin county, as
well as Steelton, Highspire and ~Mld
dletown, to do something so as to
Ket more instead of less trade. A State
bridge from Goldsboro to Middletown
would solve the problem. Such a high
way, which would not cost possibly as
much as some roads that are being
built where roads already exist, would
bring to the stores of Harrisburg and
all the towns on this side the Susque
hanna many customers. It would
make Harrisburg accessible for the
farmers, and produce would be made
cheaper. It would liven up the busi
ness situation and make lots of traffic.
As the situation now is. the long circle
made by the Susquehanna river and
the stretch of high mountain maJtes
an almost insurmountable batricJde.
preventing communication between
upper York county and Harrisburg
and Dauphin county. This is a con
dition that the State should remedy.
The Susquehanna runs by like a Chi
naan wall, preventing communication
in Flanders, the allied armies tnav
also resort to the same hellish mode
of destroying the enemy. If the
French use dum-dum bullets against
the Germans, the latter may employ
theni against the French. Rut for
Germany to assert that her right of
reprisal against Great Britain, if it
exists at all, justifies her in taking the
lives of the citizens of neutral powers
in sheer madness—the madness of
desperation. That such a claim will
be allowed, that such practices will
be tolerated, is inconceivable.
But our own share in the tragedy
must not blind us to the fact that the
blow has fallen on the citizens of other
neutral powers as well and most heav
ily and with equal injustice and in
humanity on English men, women and
children. This is not the first, nor is
it likely to be the last of Germany's
reprisals in which Innocent and neu
tral lives will be offered up. Is not
our duty clear? Our government, on
the first proclamation of Germany's
piratical designs, notified her that we
should hold the imperial governmeujj
to strict accountability for the de
struction of American lives and prop
erty. There is no reason to doubt
that the promise will be made good.
The President can be trusted to act
promptly and resolutely. But it is to
be hoped that he will not act alone
nor In the interest of our country
solely. We are not only the greatest
of neutral powers, but we are, by vir
tue of that fact, bound, in a common
cause and in the face of a common
danger, to act in behalf and in con
cert with all other neutral powers.
• • •
It has frequently been suggested
in the course of the war that our
government call a conference of neu
tral nations to determine what steps
should be taken to safeguard neutral
rights and interests and to concert
measures for restoring the sanctions
■of international law and public right.
Is not this the one clear and effective
method of dealing with the present
situation? Germany may deem her
national emergency great enough to
warrant her in rejecting the warnings
of a single neutral power, however
great, she may even dare to defy a
world in arms. But a congress rcp
i resenting the neutral nations of the
earth, convoked in no hostile spirit
but animated by a sincere purpose to
find a peaceful solution of an intoler-
I able situation, to re-examine and, so
j far as possible, to readjust to modern
| conditions the rules of international
| law, might well succeed in finding a
way out of the impasse into which the
war as now waged has brought the
world. And if the worst should come
to the worst, if Germany cannot by
any means of conciiiaions be led to
abandon her illegal and barbarous
methods of carrying on the war, the
neutral nations, acting in concert, will
find other means than that of war—•
means more effective than war—of
bringing her to terms. A sentence 6f
outlawry, an international boycott, in
volving the cutting of all communica
tions and the severance of all rela
tions, commercial and other, with the
offending nation might as a last resort
be employed. She would then learn
that the public opinion of the civilized
world is still a force to be rockoned
with.
of business, but the Commonwealth
cannot be expected to act as long as
the Harrisburg Board of Trade, and
all the businessmen sit still without
making any effort to relie\'e the situa
tion and open up streams of business.
I see the Legislature has just pass
ed p. bill for a bridge up at Millers
burg to the wilds of Perry county,
where the population is sparse, where
as the population bordering on the
Susquehanna in York and Dauphin
counties (Goldsboro to Middletowitf
for instance) is dense. The Middle
town ferry, which ran for many years,
has ceased to run and is greatly miss
ed. There should be a bridge across
the river free of cost in this civilized
and progressive age. There should be
a "Good Bridge Day" as well as "Gooil
Roads Day."
Tours very trulv,
ANTI BOYCOTT.
EASIER SAID THAN* DONE
Jane Addams notes among pacifists
at The Hague a feeling that "the Duai
tania incident should be made the oc
casion of pressure for the co-opera
tion of all neutral nations to end the
war." How they can do It appears,
however, to be as perplexing as eyer.
It is even getting more difficult for
some of them to keep out of the war
themselves.—Springfield, Mass., Re
publican.