New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-15
TIE WAR AND THE YEUTRABs.

No Circumstance OF the present war is more
gratifying thnn the attitude and tone OF the
neutral powers II IS q war that involves the
Interests Of aI important nations. Il very d.
rectlv concerns the commercial and even the
political interests Of three or four Of the largest
nations. II IS q war moreover, IN which sym
natbfes are strong and IN which provOcations
20 passion are by no means lacking. Yet moth
ING IS more obvious than the tempered Restraint
with which the various nations regard e. con
flct. There are unmistakable manifestations OF
sympathy with one side or the other. That is
n matter Of course. Human nature IS stronger
than neutrality laws. Yet none OF these tran
scend the bounds OF international good man.
,o-s or are such as should offend the other
belliEereut than the one 10 which the sympathy
Is given. There IS no intemperate railing, and
there is no gushing sentfIDentalty. People rec
ocnize-vve are especially glad that they DO so
so largely fin this coUntry-that there IS some
thing 10 he said in favor OF each Of the comoa-
fap.s. and that no matter to which side the
weight OF justification may seem to them TO IN
cline il is after all, war between Japan ana
Russia. aud not between America and either OF
those powers. and that therefore America should
he rs impartial in spi-it as che is neutral In
action.
+ros+ n the circumstances Of some former and
recent wars. The Boer war IN South Africa,
for exaraple. did not concern Us nearly as close
IL as this one does. Yet IN this country, and
especiallv right here IN this city. there were
wild and passionate demonstrations OF paru-
sanship. as intense as would have been 1ustih-
able If the United States itself had been
marty 10 the war. Il was unspeaksbly deplor-
able. Again. TO recall for the sake Of the lesson
another unpleasant episode, there was our war
with spain. It vas perhaps pardonable for
nsu'aris TO rage against US and for Ameri-
cans 10 rage against Spain; but-though we
cherish no resentment FOR fit was not an
admirable thing for the press and people Of
some neutral countries 10 lampoOn and libel
America as they did. and they should by this
time be sincerely ashamed Of having done So
II is that sort OF thing that tends 10 make wars
s-read so as to involve whole continents and 10
menace The whole world. The decent temper
ATE shirt which Is so generally displayed at
the present time is. on the contrary calcu-
lated 10 confne hostiltes within the narrow
est possible limits and 10 facilitate the restora-
ton not only Of peace hut OF actual friend
shin between the belIiCerents themselves. War
is in any case a terrible thing. It IS IN
sreabahlv wicked for those who should be neu-
trail 10 provoke II or to aggravate Ifs ferocity
through the qualification OF wanton passion or
uncalled for hatred. II IS a noble thing 10 re-
gard both beligerents as friends. unhapphy Tor
the tine estranged from each other, but none
the less the friends Of the rest az the world, and
thus 10 exert all outside influences toward
ameIoratinE the conditions Of the war itself
and toward Fastening its close upon basis OF
Justice 10 both and Of mutual respect