The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-09-24
7. R. DISCUSSES
OUR NEUTRALITY
u. S. Can Do This by Refusing
to Help Uno6cially Weak
Powers Involved.
BRITAIN AIDED BELGIUM
Japan Remembered Injustice Done
Her by Germany in Curtailing Prog
ress After Chinese War.

New York, Sept. BIN the current
number of the Outlook. Theodore Roose-
welt, who formerly was a contributing
editor, discusses the European conflict
In an article entitled: The World War:
Its Tragedies and Its Lessons
Col. Roosevelt records the claims and
counterclaims of the belligerent powers
| and expressed profound gratitude that
| the United States of all the great civil
! lied nations Stands mistaken by the
| present worldwide war" In part the
article says
Peace which leaves ReIgium's wrongs
| unredressed and which does not provide
against a recurrence Of such wrongs as
| those from which she has suffered would
not he real peace
Neutrality off Prime NeccssIty.
On the attitude of the United States.
Col Roosevelt writes.
What action our government can and
will take ! know not. It has been an
nounced that no action can he taken that
will interfere with our neutrality. 1t is
certainly eminently desirable that We
should remain entirely neutral and moth
ing but urgent need would warrant
abandoning our neutrality and taking
sides one way or the other Our first
duty is TO hold ourselves ready TO do
whatever the changing circumstances de
mand in order to protect our own interests
in the present and in the future. although
for M part. desire to add to this state
ment the prOvisO that under no CirCum-
stances must We do anything dishonor-
able especially toward unoffending weak
or nations.
Neutrality may he Of prime necessity
in order to preserve our own interests
to maintain peace in so much OF the
world as is not affected by the war and
to conserve our influence for helping
toward the establishment OF general
peace when the time comes: for il any
outside power is able at such a time 10
be the medium for bringing peace il is
more likely to he the United States than
any other. But We pay the penalty for
this action on behalf Of peace for our
selves and possibly for others in the
future by forfeting our right to do
anything on behalf Of peace for the
Rolgians in the present.
We can maintain our neutrality only
by refusing To do anything To aid I'M
offending weak powers which are drag
god into the gulf of boOdshed and misery
through no fault of their own. OF
course it would be folly for us 10 jump
into the gulf ourselves 10 no good pur-
pose: and very probably nothing that
We could have done would have helped
Japan Respects Z. :. Rights.
Dis russIng the cause and provOcations
which led to the wa-. Col Roosevelt
recites the claims and Counterclaims of
each Of the warning nations. Russia. h"
thinks, could not have done otherwise
than to aid Servia. because Of the racial
ties existing between them. Germany
was led on by her close alliance to
Austria. France was led on TO support
Russia and when once Belgium was In
volved every circumstance Of national
honor and interest forced England to
act precisely as she did act"
As 10 Japan. the Colonel writes
AT this moment. for instance. japan
has declared war against Germany. She
has paid sCrupu,ous regard to our own
rights and feelings in the matter. Tho
contention that she is acting in a spirit
Of mere DISTINGUISHED altruism need not
be considered. She believes that she has
wrongs to redress and strong national
interests to preserve. Nine wears ago
Germany Joined Russia 10 check Japan's
progress after her victorious war with
China and since then itself built up \
German culOnia. possession on Chinese
soil. Doubtless japan never for one
moment has forgotten this act 81 Ger
many"