Meanwhile the United States is still waiting for the "
overt act." It may be that it will come as aresult of the voyage of the unarmed American merchantmen into the death zone mentioned later. This passive challenge by America is one of the most dramatic episodes we can remember in the'history of war. But it may very well be that the vessels will Blip through, for after ail the German submarines are neither so numerous nor so efficient as the Germans in their desperate braggadocio pretend. The congestion of shipping in American ports is considerable, and thus the Germans are block- ading America at the moment in an appreciable sense. But this will not last long. For our part, we do not think that President Wilson, having gone so far, will be able to refuse to take some further step, whatever it may be. If linwere to-run the risk-of the Germans succeeding, through the happy chance of no " overt act " being committed against America, he would be looking on quietly while the Devil was enthroned. His policy would, in fact, be one of results by accident, and that is a pure negation of statesmanship. We do not believe at all in that possibility, for, if only by his speech to Congress, Mr. Wilson declared once for all his concern in the sivilization of our tortured Old World.
