New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-11
FLAYS ATTEMPTS TO
USE PRESS AS TOOL
People Here Reinforcing
Anti MilitariSm Protest
OF AnglO-SaxOns.
DEMANDS NEW POLICY
Holds Awakening of Americas
Moral Interest Matter of
First Importance.

London, Sept TO- "The Times,
under the title Of THE Judgment Of
America" says editorially to-day:
I'VE always counted on the support
of American opinion in this war that
has been forced upon us VIC counted
on it so securely that VIC at first neg
lcctcd the means which, perhaps, in
prudence, we should have taken to Sc
cure it. Rut we have got it. We
counted Alright. and daily. as the war
develops tho methods Of PrusSo Ger
man militarism, it rallies in growing
strength and volume to our side.
1--WE arc grateful. We prize above
the approval Of all other neutral ma
tons that of our kinsmcn. who share
our ideals and who speak our tongue
II was upon that basis of common
ideals and Of common feelings that We
built our trust. VIC have not built our
trust in vain. We knew that men bred
under the laws and institutions which
they have inherited from their fathers
and from ours, which they evolved and
modified according to the principle
that that joint inheritance Consecrate5
and sanctions. could not differ from US
in their judgment of the main issues
now at stake.
"They arc plain questions of right
and wrong, good faith and perfidy, OF
the defence of the weak and innocent
against the tyrannous aggressor, Of
liberty and democracy and elementary
public right against the narrow and
arrogant creed Of an exclusive and
feudal militarism. We felt assured
that for a people nurtured in the tradi
ton Of British thought and British law
there could be but one answer to ques-
tions Of the kind. They had but to
know the facts and we were certain Of
their verdict
This conviction was not peculiar to
ourselves. Our enemies have shown
they shared it by the cXtraOrdinar!
pains they have taken to hide, distO:I
and travesty those facts. They, too,
attach the highest value to the moral
support Of the great republic despite
their fear and hatred Of her and OF the
fundamental doctrines Of her civiliza-
ton which the writings of the German
militarists reveal at every page and
which the German press expressed with
so much malice during the Spanish
war. They knew they could not hope
fOs il if the truth were told so they
Systematically organized. under the
leadership of Ambassador Won Bern
storff. regular campaign against the
truth.
THE movement has been conducted
with characteristic thoroughness and
characteristic want of scruple. The
consular service has been modified.
German societies which seek to pre-
serve a separate German 'stimmung
Cfeeling) amongst the German citizens
Of the United States were marshalled
and set to work. Even German firms
were employed to bring pressure on
the American press by turtive men
aces of Withdrawing their support un-
less the news and comments on the
war were manipulated in the German
interest
But the whole scheme failed. They
have tried rather cleverly to play on
some strong American feelings. They
have posed as victims of calumny.
They have demanded fair play, de-
mand never made without effect 70
men Of Anglo-SaNOn blood. Artful
though these tactics doubtless seem TO
their authors, they were tainted BY
the fatal error which has marked the
bankruptcy Of German diplomacy.
"Ngdc IN Germany, these clumsy tic-
tions we're not suited fer the American
market. They leave out OF account the
fact that Americans, like Englishmen,
arc accustomed to form their own
judgments in politics as in other mat
terS. Won Bernstorf has been trying TO
spoon feed them. They Jeer at his
methods and resent them. When he
tenders. thcm theories. they demand
evidence. When he adduceS evidence
they proceed to test it.
But American opinion not only re-
fuses TO be deludcd by the shallow
tricks of tho German Embassy. II has
also gone straight to .he deeper issues
If the war. II sees with DIR. Eliot that
German militarism and all which 1t I'M
niles are the root causes OF the CON
Aict. Ii sees that the iingeTprint OF the
militarist is stamped upon Zabern. II
sees that this militarist code is the
direct negation Of all CIVILIZATION az
nroqress and all morality as the world
has hitherto understood them, and it
sees that only by their determination
can the ideals and principles which me
democracy Of the United States, like
tbc democracy of England, love and
,cverence with their whole strength,
be preserved TO them and to mankind.
"By the awakening of the American
peopic 20 that truth and TO their own
immense moral interests in the result
he var has aroused them for the first
time in ,heir history to the conscious
ness that they cannot and ought not to
feel indifferent 20 the outcome OF THIS
Great European contest. That, IN the
long run, may be not the least impor'
tant consequence Of the tremendous
struggle"