Unless observation and instinct be utterly at fault, we have for
more than a decade been, after Germany, the worst-hated nation of all
that are foremost.
It is pre-eminently our affair to mind our own business, as others have
minded theirs. Without cessation of noise and fury in America this is
impossible.
Indeed, our emotional storms have already furnished proof of how we are
incapacitated from either enforcing our rights as neutrals or seizing by
the forelock the opportunity afforded to us as neutrals and from
enjoying the unquestioned privileges of neutrality.
It is not altogether edifying to think that the close of the European
struggle, be it long or short, will probably find our ocean commerce
substantially where it was at the beginning, and that conflicts which
were not of our making will have been fought out before we are able to
secure our share of the world markets. Apparently the leaders in
commerce, industry, and trade, like the lawmakers and administrators,
are paralyzed by the imperative necessity of aiding panicstricken
tourists and panicstricken stay-at-homes. Apparently, too, our people
are suffering more in purse and general comfort than the actual
combatant nations.
Pages:
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334