"THE FROZEN" WORD," NEUTRALITY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2386, 16 February 1915, Page 6

"THE FROZEN" WORD," NEUTRALITY

STRIKING QUOTATION BY THE FIRST SEA LORD : Among a number of Christmas "mes- ; >Bages" to American "people, the Ameri- : -caji United Press published a cabled ; statement from Lord Fisher,, of which ' ithe significance was fully appreciated ■ sn view of the activities of German ;■ agents. The United Press correspondent i.Gn London did not ask Lord lusher for ,i his Views on the war, but confined him- • w>elf to tho query, "What hope or good [cheer the Christmas spirit may bring- : humanity in this unprecedented year?" Lord Fisher's reply was brief and (characteristic, and as the message was jpassed by the British Admiralty Censor I. iits authenticity is obviously beyond | question. ; The First Sea Lord answers in the I, (third person under date December 20: — If "Lord Fisher has this immediate reply fto your telegram. this moment received j |at midnight. , Yes. He. has very close j'iljpnds. with the. United States in his i Vdom'estic relations and friendships. '.He y jbappily possesses an American daughter-iin-law, and she is none the worse for Ljber ;namo'at birth being Morgan, and ; (Philadelphia her home. "Lord Fisher has to say (he is comI kpelled to say) that the hope and good I icheer that the Christmas spirit may ! -bring humanity almost solely depends '■ Mpon a • hundred million of Christian 1 men and women in America realising ' 'neutrality' means. 'That word r (neutrality) comes frozen on tho frozen : ispray,' so ask them, these hundred mil:lions in the United States, to read Wily iliam Watson's poem, herewith, to ; concerning England." The poem quoted is:— j ''Art thou her child, born in the proud mid-day ! Of her larg& soul's abundance and excess; ..- Her daughter ajid her mightiest heritress, Dowered with her thoughts, and lit on her great way •. ■ ■ By her great lamps that shine and . fail not? Yes! . 'And at this thunderous hour of ! strngglo and stress, i Hither across the ocean, wilderness, •What word comcs frozon on the frozen ; spray? : .. '•' .. Neutrality! .The. tiger from' his den Springs at thy mother's'throat, and. . can'st thou now ... <•; Watch with a stranger's gaize? So.bo it then!-- - — - - Thy. lossr is more than hers; ' for, bruised aaid torn, . She shall yet live without thino aid, ; and thou ' - .'Without' ~ the crown' divine' thou ■ might'st.Oiave.wom. Qle-last-two-lines-are-underlined in j ire-First'Sea Lord's statement, accord- ! "Press prefatory note. The ffidliffg', ltoro is that tho German i. Press;' ag<mts ;afe;feing allowed too free a field, / and 'an'occasional statement ; .from.EnglisliU statesmen, even though i : cryptic; as that .of Lord Fisher, is great•ly appreciated.