The Rising of the Tide: The Story of SabinsportTarbell, Ida M. (Ida Minerva)
General
The Rising of the Tide: The Story of Sabinsport
Tarbell, Ida M. (Ida Minerva)
World War, 1914-1918 -- Fiction
The first service asked of him was to secure full information about the
munition making in the district of which Sabinsport was an important
point, and to place in every plant as many of the men which would be
sent to him as he could without attracting attention. He easily and
naturally enough carried out the commission, and he did it without
compunction. It seemed plausible and proper enough to him that Germany
should inform herself about the chances of the Allies supplying
themselves with munitions, and he admired the care she took to get
accurate information. So far as Otto was concerned, this was all there
was in the matter.
The campaign against selling munitions, which was started in the winter
and spring of 1915, tickled him enormously. Clever--what could be more
clever than using this absurd obsession of a few pacifists to prevent
her enemy from getting shells and shrapnel! _Germany_ stirring up
sentiment against war-weapons to weaken her opponent! That was
humor--great humor. And Otto went into the campaign with gusto, working
quietly through the men he had placed in the plant at Sabinsport,
particularly Max Dalberg; working through unseeing Ralph, working in a
dozen towns where he had business and social relations. His attitude
was strictly correct. We were neutral. Why should we preach neutrality
and make for one antagonist what circumstances made it impossible to
make for another? We must treat all alike. The campaign took hold. The
workingmen favored it. Otto was greatly pleased. That much money was
being used in sending around speakers, in circulating documents, in
advertising, in establishing newspaper and periodical organs, he
vaguely knew. It was all right. You must get the ear of the public. Why
not?
The only serious rebuff Otto had in the early months of his propaganda
was when he attempted to contract with Cowder and with other
manufacturers for their output. He was amazed and incensed at their
attitude. They treated the suggestion that they sell to "Sweden" as an
insult. It was this attitude, so hostile to Germany, that had made him
completely lose his control with Cowder. It had been unbearable; this
contempt, this resentment at the suggestion. He had felt that he was
defending Germany when he raised his hand. His controlled and adroit
companion had criticized him severely, "You'll give the game away,
Littman, if you lose your temper like that."
But Otto had replied hotly, "Give it away! It's a fair game. I believe
in what I'm doing. It's war and fair enough. What I can't tolerate is
the hypocrisy of the American attitude. To pretend to be neutral and
act as if you were insulted when it is suggested to you that you sell
something so it will get to Germany as well as to England. To pretend
to be neutral and to be concerned only with their rights, and yet
tolerate with indifference England's violations and rage against
Germany's."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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