New-York tribune. [volume], December 17, 1915, Page 10, Image 10

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Einst to Laut?the Troth: New???Editorial?
?Adrertlaementa.
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NINI.AT l-iStT. DAP.Y O.NXT:
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HAlIaT 0\L_ : *l -DAY ONT-Y:
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Mal U?l~r.
Y??o c*n purchase merchandise adrertlaed
in THE TRIBUNE with absolute eaiety?for
if dissatisfaction result? In any c*ae THE
TKIBl'NE Ruarantcea to pay yonr money
back upon refiueat. .No red tape, no qaib-?
bllng. We make good promptly If the ad-j
-ortlsrr doe?, not.
"Scrapped!"
If Sir John French had been a subordi-!
naic of J ffre's lie would have been,
Pfod aftor the Battle of Monr. Hlsj
opening battle vma a blun?
der which hud hcavry consear*u<?nceB for
CC p.nci almost co6t Great Britain the
only army she then had on foot.
Late in the afternoon of August 23 Sir
John French, still fighting the opening
pha.s.-' 0? the Battle of Mons, was in?
formed by JoiFre that the two French
armies to the east were retreating after a
severe engagement whicb had tamed out
badly. Sir John French was advised that
hit own flank was threatened and that he
? hopelessly outnunabereda
Despite this warning the British ?m
mander did not begin his retreat until
twenty hours after the notice. He was
deceived by the success of the operations
on his immediate front and seems to have
imagined that he could win another
Wot*
When French finally decided to retreat
his ituation was critical. Kluck'e flank?
ing oorpi was coming up. It was, Sn fact,
?dmo-t ?m the flank of the British army.
The Battle of Cambrai, "the most critical
day," to DM Sir John French's own words,
when the British were nearly pinned down
?ml destroyed, was the direct consequence
Of the delay at Mon?.
Sir John French brought his army out.
No army ever shone more brilliantly than
the British force in this terrible operation.
Only veteran professional troop.-, could
have retreated under such pressure and
escaped a rout. But the army was unable
to get on i?r> feet and make a stand. Thus,
while the two French armies to the cast
hail checked the Germans on their front at
Guise and near Roth.l, the condition of
the British was such that Joffre had to
give up the line of the Champagne Hills
and the Somme and retire to the Marre.
At the Battle of the Marne French
failed again. His mission was to pin
down two of hluck's corps, while Manoury
struck ea.-t from Paris on the extreme
flank of all the Gorman armies and rolled
it up. But 1 rench was slow and dis?
played a McClellan-like tendency to exag?
gerate the force Yefore him. His slow?
ness permitted Kluck to draw back the
two corps in front of the British, transfer
them to his imperilled flank and throw the
Paris army back. The overestimate of
the German numbers led to the diversion
to Sir John French of half a corps, which
might have gi\cTi the Paris army a deci?
sive advantage.
In coa sequence of Sir John French's
slow ne:.-? at the Maine, the deei-ion of the
battle was not h.ui before Pari- as Joffre
had planned. Instead it was obtained by
Foch in the centre about La 1 en? Cham?
penoise. '"My right is beaten, my left is
retiring, my centre is crumbling; at this
point I take the offensive." These are the
ds of Foch, and they contrast unpleas?
antly with French's.
Foch's SOCCeCB against Hau?en was com?
plete and a general German retirement
1-came necessary. The German centre
was shattered. But Kluck had won clear
of the trap .Joffre had set, thanks to
French's failure, and got hack to the
in good order. In eon eqoencc the Marne
am* not. as it should have been, |i I *
which cleared i -t n? h territory of the Gor
tata
At ti - ] h did
hero ? tie
as a British
iiatt; . ? of fight, ??
in which the Britisl I and died. It
? t ,t ertainiy not
snd-up fight
on ? ;tx?-(i lino at..i i* WOl *t? D by the same
quality that won Wateric
soldif-'s bat '?? : simple,
The next failure of French was at Neuve
CWpol ?-. The Gert. froken,
the A vi ? rl Iff ?? Um grasp of
the vktori I si the i ipporti did not come
up, the li-rman* had time to come bade.
Por :ty of Lille
HOBM m of the British
*nd I ra- ? g li!,?.rated. But
the ?^ai... ilowne the ssSM lack of ap?
preciation of the actual situation disclo-wd
?t the Mur.-.e lost the g.-eut profita There'
was won a town, olready In ashes; the line!
went forward a few rods. That \*a.^ all!
and it cost nearly 16,000 in rssnnltlm
Then came the munitior.? rsndsl Who!
was to be biassed, Mitrhsnor. 1 iwgh or
boti**' Ir nie to say. i;
fhSt is thai there was atupid, hopeless'
tiie British were <li
he great - ; , anee, i
had expected. Bo Gor?!
thegToot Russian
By i had munitions!
"?<i it was
bat ?roold
MS doubtful state.?. Accordingly
.l'offre stiia'Y: ,n Champagne and French
in Ar'oii. Again the l!nY h went through
the GonUM lineh. They toot the Hoher.
-. redout/., 1 o* utii of La
I Basse?. They climbed Hill No. 70, bega
to descend on the eastern Bide toward I_t._
A really great victory wan In eight
But once more there were no support
The troops of the "forlorn hope" who ha
won were left to heng on for hours, fc
forty-eight hours in some caaes, withoi
reinforcement. The Germans gathere
their reserves, came back, retook Fosse
and the Hohenzollern redoubt, pushed th
British over and part way down Hill N
170. Lens was saved and the British con
j mander had to appeal to General Foch fc
' French troops to hold what was left of th
I ground that had been won.
Loos was then Neuve Chape]'.e ove
?again and it happened nearly a year latei
This sealed the fate of French. To retai
hirn longer was to destroy all that was lei
of the faith France and Russia had put 1
British aid. All French's blunders ha
been condoned hitherto by British minis
ters. He had had too few men at Mon
and the French were blamed. The Man.
episode was largely ?.verlookcd. Neuv
Chapelle was set down to lack of muni
tlons, wrongly to be rar?. But at Loo
England gave her general numbers, muni
Hone, and his army gave him opportunltj
?but all wrre to no avail. French failei
once more. Even more lamentably thai
before.
The departure of French will be a ver
great contribution to Allied solidarity
Joffre never trusted him af'ter Mons. Al
over France the criticisa to be heard ha;
been, ''The British a-e always too slow
?hey donl arrive." !.-, Faris every on?
praises the gallantry of British officers
the steadiness of British troops. The reck
lesaness with which officers and men fac?
fire is generally recognized?but with th_!
recognition goes the frank statement thai
the British don't understand war as it no?
Is, that they have kept the romance bul
failed to master the science.
In recent months there has been a rest
lessness in France not discernible sir?
months ago. It is not a desire for peace
it is not a weakening in any degree?but
it is a sense of the relative sinnllness ol
the return in view of the complet enes? ni
French effort and the greatness of French
sacrifice. Last summer it became neces?
sary to send some eminent French publi?
cists, Joseph Reinach among th?*ni. to Eng?
land In not with their own eyes that the
British were getting their armies on foot.
Their reports allayed French apprehen?
sion, but Loos revived it.
In the Civil War the North passed
through the same period o? defeat that the
British are still enduring. But the North
irai nor facing Germany, hut a ?"south al?
most as u!,prepared as itself. In many
ways French has played the r??e of Mc
Clellan in our great war. But he seems
to have failed where McClellan .succeeded.
He has not been able to organize a new
army that he could not lead, as did Me?
ridian; he has failed both in making an
army and in handling it.
To-day Great Britain has numbers, mu?
nitions, a country at last alive to its peril
and its ?iuty. In the same situation the
North found (?rant, Sherman and ?Sheri?
dan. The ?South Lee, Jackson and John?
ston. Has Great Britain found in Sir
Douglas Haig her Marlborough or Wel?
lington'.' On the question turns that of
the duration of the war, if not that of
the outconi'..
French should not precede Kitchener by
any long time. "K. of K." has not been the
success that was expected. He has failed,
too, "r rather a considerable part of Brit?
ish failure is charged to him both in Eng?
land and on the Continent. Of all the
conspieuoui figures of the opening days of
the war only J offre remains. Yon Moltke,
the Grand Duke Nicholas, Sir John French,
all have failed and ben "scrapped.*1 Is
it Joffre's turn next? Despite various
hints, ?M best French information does
not warrant that assumption, and it is
difficult to believo the rumors that are
afloat.
But all Great Britain's allies and friends
will rejoice that a general who has failed
j from the start has gone home?to rest.
! after his campaigns.
Socialists in the Cabinet.
"The World" rebuke- Postmaster Gen?
eral Burleson for recommending govern?
ment ownership and operation of the tele*
graph and telephone systems, It charge.
him with rushing "headlong into the field
oi colle? " hip like a newly cou?
ver'.-ii Socialist.*1 Worse than that from
"The World's" point of view Mr. Burle
; embarrassing the Presi
:* from a member of the
?ministration it is m ar .
proposal, utterly at conflict with the iixe<i
doctrine, ol the Democratic party."
Secretary McAdOQ, we presume, is alto
Bed at th?- idea of putting the- govern?
Into business as the owner and opera?
tor of public utilities like the telegraph
?and the telephone. It is true that he and
;the President fought tooth and nail in the
last Co:.gross to put the government into
busineH as an ocean freight carrier. They
tried to get Congress to sanction m
ment ownership and Operation 0? ocean
steam.l.;p lines, doing business in compe?
tition not only with foreign but also with
American shipowners.
The telephone. and telegraph services
are natural monopolies, operated gevern
mentally in most countries in conjunction
with the postoftice service. Transporting
freight by sea is not a natural govern
? monopoly; nor is it a natural
monopoly of any sort. Th?1 sea is free to
all; it is an open highroad between nation
and nation. Nevertheless, Mr. McAdoo
and Mr. Wilson Urged CongTMS to vote
millions of dollars to put the g?i'.ernment
into busine M ? arriar. They
i into th) field of collective owner?
ihip further ano fastel than Mr. Burletson
-ht of rushing Into it?
Why, tin;?lore, pillory the Postmaster
"a newly converted Bocialisf*
... that In proposal II "amazing" as
looming from a member of the Wilson ad
Iminihtration? He i.-. in very good com
ipany in tho Wil I I foot, Ilih Social?
listic MgftstiOQ it, far lfc__ in eOB?Ct with
I the fixed doctrines of the Democrstic party
than Mr. McAdoo's and Mr. Wilson's is.
1 Has he made himself persona non <jraia by
urging government ownership of the tele?
graph and telephone system ? The idea
is faiita?tic.
"The World" says that Mr. Burleson'l
Socialistic zeal "may be accounted for bj
the impracticability of his plan." Why it
the government ship monopoly plan of Mi
McAdoo and Mr. W?SOT any less Bocialis
tie or any less impracticable?
Competition-Made Thievery.
It is a pity, as Justice Russell of the
Court of Special Sessions declared, that
there is no state's prison sentence for
thieves of the brand of Felix Ermann.
This worthy, a butcher, had with diabolic
ingenuity rigged up false scales so that by
stepping on a board he was able to add ten
ounces to the weight of a customer's pur?
chase. When one of the inspectors of the
Bureau of Weight- and Measures caught
him this device had been in use nearly a
year, and his stealings, it was estimated,
amounted to $75 a week.
Ermann pleaded guilty and will spend
three months in the penitentiary, and a
light sentence it is under the circum?
stances. But his plea In extenuation was,
perhaps, the most remarkable feature of
this case. "I was compelled to do it on
account of Competition.*** he said. "I could
not make money unless I did it."
The imp:: I ' thai pie:- I that 1
othsr dealer siso sis robbing thai
tomers. Unfortunately, the record
Bureau of Weigh and .Measure? and ol
the courts prove that many of thon are.
The only way for the housekeeper in this
city to be sure of getting what is paid for
is to weigh and measure the purchases
after getting them home. If more people
would do that there would be far fewer
Ermanns in the mercantile worhl?and
perhaps more of then in the penitentiary.
"Jim Ham's" Guilt.
Senator "Jim Ham" Lewis has so in;.
thingf to answer for sartoriaUy thai It
i1- hard to tell srhethe/ s new indictmenl
will pass unnoticed in the accumulation
oi prove the strate to breas the camel.
hack. In any case, the latest to.point the
finger of accusation at him ii hi- col?
league, Senator Lawrence V. Sherman,
who has definitely refused to don a blue!.
cutaway frock and striped trousers or a
high silk hat because of the utter hope?
lessness of competition with "Jim Ham."
"What hope is there to compete with
him in his wardrobe'.'" write- th?- Senator
to hi; campaign manager. "No one Would
look at me if l dressed to rival Solomon in
all his glory. So I very contentedly re?
sign all claims to wearing apparel to iny
colleague, who is very capable in that
lino."
The Senator should not be taken too
literally. He will condescend to wear
sonic clothes, even to having his trousers
"-pressed at suitable intervals, say three
or lour months apart," and to cha: .
shirts "every time the moon quarters."
Bu" these are concessions, really more
than a man should be expected to offer, he
thinks, when so completely outshone at
th: start by lames Barbarossa.
It seems high time that Senator Lewis
\va restrainetl ami through some mociili
c'-.lion of hi> raiment made to encourage
Sei ator Sherman and other member of
the Upper Chamber a short way at least
? i ng the path- of sartorial felicity. It is
a grare charge to lodge at a man's door
that he discourages reform, particularly
in ( ongre.-sional dress.
Several broken hava >?.-?*?. fined for basing
u felltiv.- nirniln-r of the Stock Exchange
Wall Street should be made t.. contre] its
spirit.- in these halcyon
a
That Bey-Ed Is a dosj child.
The Joy of the Job.
I ? am fbe Spriuufltld ?ir??Mb',:
In the a m ate m en?, expressed at the resig?
nation of a successful and popular college
preaident in order to return as a prof?
tu scientific work, we have a Striking illus
? .r the growing dominance of th?
itive functior. Possibly the tendency
illustrates what German philosophers caii
the "will to power." ? is a natural
? i icnco of rr rtivirm. At all
ws tea - si here, sad even ir the
inapprepriat? i growth of the
g that il betl - "be
?.. !,.? ri ?01 ?
Msny a man who has risen t? ?
' ? knows i". hit heart th I h? wi .
er and quite sa um'?Y
1 old job, doing .hi . .,- watch ng
ethers do them. Y. make the i t betl
actions is the cica*, test of SOC?? ... and
I .a ?n parYcilar needs to tmr c%re to
.age thinkers, student , in* itors, sci
invtstigaters, men of learning and
of gun i us. as well as the men who have the
..lore conspicuous but no more important
work t)f directing others. The great danger
in the worship of success is tkst success
may be wrotn-ly identified with conspicuous
ness or with money reward. It la well ?
tunes to have the ssspkasii pu' t.:. th?
ii el'Y the in?:-, vim :s entirely ebsorl
Broald not trade jot.- with I I
I '? ? er.
The Trawler Skipper.
? ;. ??. 1 Bc-'.i :t
Every trawler is distinctive, and the
character of the crew and of t .r life on board
depends on the captain. These skippers ar.*
types who seem to have su:vived from an
age long since gone by. You cur. always
tell a North Sea trawler from a West Coon
try une. The North ?Sea ??kippers jeer.
and taciturn, wherca3 the West Countrymen,
mostly Devonshire men, Men genial,
ci'iiu. All are, howe*??i. delightful))
pendent, and CXprCSI tbeif vicWl on things
in general in a manner wkich maksi
?Seers treaibls fox th? ?
They love to eriti? t* * er;.' ling. Thi
: :??-._?
any efl ? ' the S S res -? aman.
?? . ? that sea
? . ? ?
,- themselves, an?) tl ? I hola
sdling of great battle?
they make their ttOJ into narrow harbors or
take up diflic.lt. anchorage??, pointing out how
much better Ibey OSald hsvs tlnne the job
fives. They love to grumble at every?
thing, and Without a grievance they would be
miserable.
"DO THEY WANT ROOSEVELT?"
His Firmness a Better Guarantee of
Peace Than "Watchful Waitinf."
, To th? Editor of The Tribune.
' Sir: Had Theodor? Roosevelt been Presi?
dent during this last stormy administration,
hov.- masy Amer1e?n soldier- would b? killed
!n Texas by Meilean bandit?? How would
he have a-*t?d when th? crisis occurred w_ich
raad? _? s?nd our dreadnoufhta to enforea a
n.'r. which w? never g ** H.w many
Air. eric an? would bar? betm drowned by das?
tardly German torpedo??? In my humbl?
opinion, nor.? of thes? ?roestlor.? would
hav? arisen, for th? er.*!re world know? 'hat
Rootevelt is not a man of peace at any
price, whi!? watchfully waiting and holding
nations in strict accountab:!ity for ou'raget
that come, and com? while we ara too proud
to fight
With Roosevelt In the chair ther? woul'.
hav?. beofl no Lositanls, :.o Arabic, no Ancona
Germany would have known full weil the
prie? she would hav? had to pay for the firs',
loss In American lire?. With Rootevelt la
the chsir, anarchy and bomb e?_j.l
would not hold this country in a grip of
fear, while Germaay pay? tie bills and
.-m:!"S.
Would Roosevelt h?v? declared ?".ar" Per?
haps, but I doubt it. (iermany would hav?
known ? dot 'now much she could "get
-way with" und kc.?p us out of the tronche?
with the French ami Englirh. Suppose he
did get ? lots *r I war. What teal Ameri
car: would ral ?? ? p snd Bght than
? ?.?iiai-i tram**?** ever bin, ?hile
? _ ? m? o? n?.a?'?riy.
i fro.. Mr. Wilson ?
i i : can
A abalance in 1 ??' t, -..roe months of
at ? sftei
.ccir.g thi horror o i Is ? srfars, i
would rather see t! ?? 0 lag men of the coun?
try over there fighting for their satioa'l
honor than tu see our national prid? made
the laughing stock of th? whole of Europe.
On the morning that 'he reports of the
linking of the Lositaals reached th? battle
front a French officer said to m?, "Ah, sure?
ly your great nation will sntOf th? war now.
You will quickly avenge th? murder of your
:. and children." What h? ami many
? - must think now it is easy to imagine.
Let Roosevelt take the chair, and this coun
II tak? Its place in the world. Not
? ting, far he will not make that nece_
,ii.. hn< in out lirm stand for the p
;. which this Republic was bullded. "Dc
(Tan) Roosevelt f Lot ns hops e? lr
the meantime let u? thank The Tribuns for
d it hau given uh ami will undoubted
? te | rs us in the matter of gi '
ttag "The Greal I - enn" hack in the chair,
EUSTACE I. ADAMS.
? York, Dec. 14. UM.".
Why Should He Be Feared?
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Your editorial Saturday morning
about Roosevelt ?vas just great. As I ha?,
watched th" attitude of I he Tribune I had
been honing for some time that you woul<i
see a light arid raise a cry for the nomina?
tion of Roosevelt as one who could measure
up to the present emergency. In this edi?
torial you went part way, and I think before
long you will go the rest of the ?ay.
speak of him as if hi? nomination
was something to bs feared 1 When was the
country more prosperous than when he whs
President? When was so much aeeomplishad
for the public good*! When were so many
things done that have turned out for the
public good in the end? About all that pub- (
lie men have done since he was President
is to carry on what he began. What Presi?
dent ever did more for peace among the na?
tions ami between capital and labor? Why
: si ipoak of him as one to he praised for his
intelligence, 1er his patriotism, for his far?
sightedness, for his devotion to high ideals,
for hi? f??rl???a???. no matter what the
te hi political fortunes?
not start a movement that will at
ones unite the Republican party, place a man
la the Whin? Boose abo Will be equal to the
? emergency, a man who will stimulate
every good work, und one who is not "too
proud to tigh'" when honor av,.| duty demand
it. Let a great I-P<r like The Tribune* take
up this cry am: it will sweep the country.
Go ahead. ERNEST C. CARPENTER
Stratford, Conn- Doc. it, ISIS.
Honest and Thorough.
To the Editor or The Tribune.
Sir: I fee! that you _re to be conim?ndcJ
for >our editorial "Do They Want Roose?
velt''' Also that every tiue American ad
?Ires Roosevelt more to-day than ever be?
fore. He has never tried the "[dear?? al!
policy," but stands for what ho considers
right regardless of whether it cos,ts him sup-'
porters or r.oi. That is just the kind of man
the country needs hi the presea! time. It i.
about time for some sf the sorehead
dislike Roosevelt bees ISO be i? so outspoken,
or for seme other tuck - lolish reasoa, ->
\4h-ii up and rc-ilize thai hs ?'ar.ii- for what1
ha-- always boon considered 'rue American I
principles snd tbst he bs boon so hones?!
snd thorough in all his public lifs th i
??i .. ."d politician- have ? ? mabls to "gel
anything on him," d< r n:a:iy at
Here il hoping that I will have I chance
redd) for Presiden) on rh?? Re?
publican ticket at the ?ie_! t
New York, Dec. 14, l'.'l' A U'CAIG.
The Only Man.
To the Editor of The Tribu)
Sir: Your recent editorial regard:! |
pos.'ible candidacy of Roosevelt appeared to
me to be in the nature of an attempt to feel
the pulse of the people. I could not be surul
as I read it whether you favored it or i
?bethel you were sin.ply issuing a warning!
while you favored some of the other potential!
-.ate?. Now that you have felt the.
public pul?>- ? ,-ed by the letters in
your paper of thii morning, which 1 Lougnt
" int Verne si the storm. I
; on will begin a cam
own and keep hammering at
? .nd Reoeevelt In my opin
ly ?man la this bro^d land of
.. *ble of putting the country
buck on th? plane from which Wilson aid h ir
pnsillanimoui policies have dragged us As
the II -?? say, "More power to you!"
B. W. STARLING.
Y irk, Doc 14, 1915.
Vitally Necessary.
- I inc.
If intTy can snlj '??'? _ro_s_d
Into a conviction of the troth that B
? the one nan o' sufficient calibre and
force thai Republican*, can sueco
hope to rspn ??' theflS, || will mean that
OOl ne-:t President. In
addition t" Sthor giar.'l qualifications,
d that l- a
ally BMOSaary to the safety '
and dignl . .?? the Eniteu S'.aie? and the
Monroe Doctrini ?
' ? oxtraordinary -.?mes Wilson
:m-clf to be a ?.?*ak pourpar'.eur1
end nothing more ??.. .. deal , .ith unprin
c:pled highbinders from any quarter. ? I
New York, Dec. 14, 1016. T. K. W.
THOSE WHO FAIL.
"REMEMBER THE LUSITAMA"
We Should Remember It by Trying to Enforce Neutral Rights Against All Belligerents?If War Comes It Should
Come in the Name of Humanity, Justice and the Equal Observance of International Law.
To the Lditor of The Tribune.
Sir: You have ?**nt me a copy of yo
editorial "Remember the Lusltania." T
P'rpoae is patent and comment is inviteti.
Candidly, I consider this editorial an n
fortunate und ill conceived attack on the a
ministration and an unholy and insulting a
peal to the American people, because of I
incomplete and hence unfair presentation i
the facts necessary to be considered for
fair judgment, ?As self-contradictor-,- argi
mentation and its gratuitous and uncharit
ble imputation of unmanly, unpatriotic ar
immoial motive.! to both the Pr?sident ai
the Anoriean people in a whole.
Rightly do you emphasize the first arid si
preme duty of the stute to be the protect!?*
of the lives of Its citizens. What, the
would you have the ??erman government c
i ver against the avowed intent of the Bri
ish government to starve all Germany an
the means employed to that end contrary t
international law and humanity? The sul
marins warfare, as conducted by German;
you denounce as a violation of internation:
Ian i- r. ? i humanity, Correct. But so Is Enf
land's blockade, and that done in connectio
therewith to starve Germany':- non-combt
tanl And what ha\e we done to stop sue
unlawful and inhuman conduct on the part o
England and her ft'
Possibly you will reply that Germany wa
the first tu commit a breach of the law t
the violation of Belgium's neutrality, for
rect again. Hut what assurance was ther
that Belgium's neutrality would be observe,
either by herself or the Kntente powers
Hi", a. > t a u. Germany *\as bound to rely o:
trft- good faith of these powers and that o
the o'her signatories to the treajy guaran
teeing Belgium's neutrality. There's the rub
In theory t?o ore can gainsay this contention;
else what becomes of all international agree
ments and laws? However, studying thi
question in the light of past and recent his
tory, does it not clearly appear that no re!:
cnee can be placed on .-.?ich covenants bein?
kept by any power if ;,?.- disregarding therr
II maj hop* to overwhelm an opponent, es
secially in times of a-.Hr" To me i*. seem
indisputable that the preservation of Bel?
giurn's neutrality would have been of im?
mense sdvsntagc to Germany, so that frorr
sheer self-interest she must have hern eage?
to refrain from any act violati.e of that neu?
trality, a.id would have surely done so had
there been any good grounds to assume good
faith on the part of her opponent? and Bel
glum and any manner of gUSTSatOS that the
neutral signatories would immediately throw
their forces against the offender.
So long as we have secret diplomacy and
s"cret treaties and ententes no such assur
?..ce can be h ?''.. end in th.? absence of cuoh
M irai ?' every government4, attitude tow?
ard aeutralitf ?nd other agreements will be
determined by wha- r own ndgm it ni
consider necessary for the fulfilment of its
.?up.-, rc.o duty, the protection or" Its own coun?
try ar.d people. In this sense I am firmly
convinced all governments will in cases of
greu". r.eed and stress follow the maxim, "Ne
Cessity '?nows :.o law." Right they are who
eentend that all signatorios to the treaty
guaranteeing Belgium's neutrality should
have at the Bret sign or BOWa of the viola?
tion of that treaty proclaimed to all the
world 'heir determination to 'oin all their
forces in compelling 'he observance of Bel
gi m.'- neutrality ar.d punishing t] ? |
ig it. in tbs sbsenes of any pledge on
t of s gnatorios t6 uphold ? ii
their might their joint cov.nnnts these
aver amount to more than scraps or
p..per.
Pre d?ni " sa proclaimed his deter?
?inattefl ??" Maintain all the righta of neutral
- ied by international law.
This, I hold, is no*, enough. To i:.->ure the
of neutrals under the law of nat.ons
nil not ' bold them.elver nound to
i ubediei.ee thereto,evenbj belligerents
in the conduct of t/ar against their oppo?
nents. What otherwise will result the Lnai-1
tanta case illustrates. Were Germany to 1
b< '.1 ? ? s strict obedience to the intcrnation
(law and England left free i0 set aside thl
law merely because, ?lue to her fortuna
position and eertain fortuitous circumstance
she- could de SO without. outr:?*h? dostructio
Cf neutral lives, what else wouli! this mea
than compelling Germany to meekly subm
to England's unlawful end inhuman starvi
'tion blockade and to abstain from the fulfi
. ment of her lirst and supreme duty by th
only means at lier command'.'
And if under these circumstance:; our go\
ernmebt wore to insist upon the right of on
Citisei tiling or. British ships and declar
say attack upon inch ships In conflict wit
international law ? er im? against our go?
ernment and people, and as such a casos bell
what rise would this mean than making c
luntry an active ally of flic British got
ernment In Its unlawful conduct and prevent
the German government from falfillin
Qpreme duty toward its own people?
Because of this dilemma I hold that ou
government, having professed equnl friend
(hip for both belligerents and declared it
'?d determination to unflinchingly con
?i ? d for the maintenance of infernationa
law and what is more, the demands of hu
? manity ihonld have requested, yea, com
manded, our citizens to stay off all belliger
snt ll ins should have called on both bel
?gorents to forthwith revoke all orders an
measures in conflict with international Ian
sad, to give force to such call, should hav
announced that in case of refusal by any o
both of the belligerents steps would be takei
te compel obedience to the international law
Particularly in view of the warning issuet
by the German Embassy and the undeniabli
uitv of our government to secure, above al
else, the gaiety of the li'es of our citizens
ihonld the administration have made impos
? ?he loss of American lives bv t!.e ?ink
ing of the Lositanis or any other ve
"ve all international law, since tha'
merely rep:, lent ? ? ? if??rt to spply I
Qttirements of n:.tur.-i! law to ths SVOf chant?
ing conditions of life and relations of nations
res on, snd 11 is reason thai most d
ll the course to he pursued by govern.
ment ???her. extraordinary conditions ar:-?*
Foregoing temporarily the exercise of an\
right does not Imply or necessitate the wahr
tag of the i Ight itself.
Germany has given heed to ths prol I
our government and has nband'me.i
featun n si : i warfare which our
government h 11 to be a violation of the In?
ternational law, and particularly of the
rights of neutral? under that law. By such
action she has made it doubly the moral duty
of our government to exact with all possible
dispatch from England ths abandonment o?
all measures violatr.e of international '.aw.
Unless our government performs this duty
v.c cannot in fairness ?eck to bind Germany
to a faithful observance of international law.
And though life, whose loss is irreparable,
? I svs ail si e be protected by the state.
thst othir losses may be replaced
justify ths neglect of enforcing
all the tules of international law. Either
10 rules .oust be enforced with an
ind like < rtergy or it will be im
t U enforce any i :' these rules, at
least not without perpetrating an injustice.
American people have not become so
morally decadent as to be afraid to fight for
the maint?.tance of justice and the honor and
dignity of their nation, but they rightly in?
te enter into war without genuine rieces
Or real justification merely boCSUSC "Ur
government has failed to see und do its full
duty or has lacked the wisdom and for
tall certain ?innrer?. Nor are thoy
willing to enter into war btcause certain of
, refused te exercise that cuu
..i.ti whirl the supremo du'y sf preserving
? ne' o? ti life and thi '.'.' regard fog the
. .,,-. .. ' their eonntrj domas .
of every sane, eonaeientions and patriotic
Lihewi ??? tor war
.-.?rain.-' any one D >.';*r of violations
..nal law when - ach sction would
rondei ma _... to ai ?tbei
. h ?Sonto.
purpose of your editorial ,, to irivo
cur peopi;? into war, then in all candor you
should say o in plain laagnoge; hot -houiii
you not then, a., a matter of fairness and
consistency, call upon our people and gov-j
ernment to declare war atone and the tame:
time against ail the nations having viol?t?
International law.
tats - ley all it
for th?
protection - life and all thr rights of I
every citizen and to ?ccui ?
for any am sgainsl say of :ti
citizens. But the government tsust ali<
itrive to ach i ?ve these end?- i.y .-.try honor
able and svailable ms BSt n?
? i ? . e of propertj '?fii life
Only after rainlj exhausting these meani
ma} 'lient have recourse to arm!
the law of i casein and humanity.
Just so reason and humanity demand tb?1
where ws ha1.1 -nice our esadsS
Ot by a literal Htii.erenc?
tai the letter of I ? lar., 1,1.t I.y ?Y pilitSSt
;,urposo of the lau by the "aalui populi.'
? r the demand that oui
government place an embargo es th? expor
tution of arms and ammunition. Beossl
neutrality, equal friendship, w? profesi
toward both belligerents, anil,
proclaim oursolvei protagonista of humanity
Nevertheless, because international ?a**- per?
mitt ',ur government to do th: ws alio?
fellow citizens of oura to furnish the bulleta
with which one body of oui - Us th?
other. If we withdrew ?
President bold
: therefore urine :" . BCt, b'
eause, forsooth, it has hi
thron ? ? . ? rer of Kn.- for 0?
to furnish bullets to both our friend: to kill
each other.
If in this matter we dare not go beyond
the international law, nor e\ei. to avail our?
selves of the freedom granted by that la?
ant! obey the boh? ?ts of humanity, with what
show of right may we then make any appeal
to humanity?
"The love of money is the root sf ?
evil," say- St Paul. If we ;-???* the cour?
age to be hon. st must we not then confess
that in ? ?nalysls love of money 11
the cause of the present terrible war
ar*J of our own failure to obey the bebeatt
of ha putting a stop to th? ex?
porta" ion ol si m - and mun I
The women and children killed by the
sinking of the Lositknla, you say, appeal not
to nationality, but to humanity (l not that
true, too. of the loldiora of a friendly nation
killed by the bullets furnished bj ? ttiaat*
nation, of the wounded and bleeding hearts
of the mothers, wives ami children of those
lOldiers and of -ill the poor thro ..ghoul th?
territory of the ieii'onic power- wh . thosgb
non-combatant.-, are subjected te all the
pangs of hunger and the torment of imp?nt
ing starva' ion 1
Humanity does not call upon u? to ir.creeM
the world's misery, but it does call upon ???
to make every effort to end the awful slant*'
ter of those who ought to stand together tt
brothers and unite their forces in ad*"anc!n|
the world's clvili-ation and the wel'.beinj of
all mankind.
Since ws and all other n<"i*r8! -StteSS are
subjected to all manner of suffering by thlt
horrible war, no one em: dooj ' '??> l>e ?or
ripiit to unite in a demand on th? heiliger
?nts to declare a truce and to meet with oor
reprei ntal ??. t'.no an equitable, peacea?
ble ai urit.g settlement of the i'
sues which have precipitated this aw
and wofui ci:..-h. If this desuad - tefes?
or refusal is nade by any one BStfcMI SI ?*aB|
bination of powers to abide by the verdict o?
such conference, a verdict based on juttice
tnd securing to all nations Yke projection '
their equal rights and opportuniYet comm?n'
i irate with their undeniable needs, then h*
US bravely draw our swords la be':.?!' of j??"
ties and humanity.
WILLIAM F .?"?HOKNTEI-D
N'ew York. Dec. 11. Ifll
His Springs of Oharity Dry
? Editor of rhe Tribune.
Bir: Pies ?? si ? sae Um opportunity ??
thanking H. M. .- . ,.f Troy, X V, for tayinf
: probablj many Americans ?"????
. humble offering to 9
Belgian sad th? English and the French?
bul o i .,;. ii and French ceiit?a*P
for America have chilled my enthuin.??- 1
? Hereafter appeal-, for eontriboties?
from tas othet lids will be ?cad by mess*
quickly forgotten. JKAN STUART.
New York, Doe. 18, It?.