Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-08-26

engineered a vast European upheaval,
we have been struggling to maintain
the status quo. The Infamous pro-
|p0sal' with which the Wilhelmstrasse
sought to purchase British neutrality
at the expense of France has amazed
and disguised Americans, as 1t has
amazed and disguised us, by it's
unique mingling Of meannesse and stu
pidity. We think we may add that
not only the conduct u, oar diplomacy
but the cool and efficient stsqdfast-
ness with which the4 British people
are facing one Of the most. searching
crises in their history have moved
American onlookers to something
more than respect. =.
"But beyond all this, the Americans
are suddenly realizing that then - not
a merely European issue Of no mo-
ment to themselves. The isolation
which has hitherto been their normal
lot makes 1t extremely difficult for
them to conceive a direct connection
between their own welfare and poll
cies and the upshot Of q struggle be-
tween European Powers that will be
decided several thousand miles from
American territory, But in the pres
ent case, and with such enormous
stakes on the table, indifference and
immunity are alike impossible.
Americans are beginning to ask
themselves questions and to ponder
considerations that up till now have
had for them hardly even an acade-
mic interest. They are asking them
selves. for instance, whether, next to
the security and well-being Of their
own country, they have any greater
or more obvious interest than that
the British Empire, should be preserv-
ed on its present footing. It Is dawn
ing on them that they have never yet
conceived themselves menaced by
British command of the sea, and that
they might not be equally satisfied II
Germany were to occupy the position
SO long and with such general accep-
lance held by US.
"They have long since acquitted
Great Britain Of any designs upon the
Monroe Doctrine. They are not SO
sure that they could return an equal
ly favorable verdict in the case Of
Germany. They have awakened to
the fact that American commerce and
power are i~nextricably intermingled
with those of Great Britain, and that
the downfall Of the British Empire,
which would be the inevitable conse-
|quence Of the destruction of British
sea-power, would paralyze every H.
nancial and commercial interest In
the United States for at least q cou-
pie Of decades.
"They are not convinced that the
defeat of Germany would have any
such disastrous and reverberant re.
suits. They are discovering that In
the scale Of Americas material inter
ests Great Britain outweighs Ger.
many. and that In the scale Of Amer
ica's moral interests the same result
is reached. They find themselves in
greater sympathy with the British
than with the German form of civilt
zation and of government; with Brit
Fish rather than with German ideas
and ethical principles, with u spirit
and genius rather than with those Of
our antagonist. They settled long
ago, and in our favor, the question
whether it Is Great Britain or Ger
many that Is the more aggressive, the
more hungry for fresh territory. the
greater center of international distur.
bance and unrest. I
what they are now beginning to
appreciate is that the rise Of Germany
to the power and influence hitherto
enjoyed by us would be a develop
ment inimical to American interests
in the Caribbean, in South America,
and in the Pacific, and a menace to
the position and freedom Of the Unit
ed States as q world-power. It may
even be that, to a greater extent than
they yet imagine, their neutrality de-
ponds on the ultimate victory of
Great Britain and her friends. "s@