New-York tribune., 1914-11-12
To the Editor of The Tribune.
cfr. chould not our decision

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Should not our decision on so
important q question gest on full dis
cuss:oa rather than as 1T present on an
assumption that O. course we ought 10
remain neutral?
If this war is to be q deh, really 20
finish, and to the complete oXhaus-
zion of one side. and Il the Allies
should be the ones exhausted and Ger
many should subjUgate them and their
colonies completely, would not that put
her in control not only of every i'm
portant plant for building way vessels
and ordnance except our own ard those
OF Italy and Japan, but also of popu-
lation many times as great as that Of
the remaining unsubJuGated civilized
countries combined?
If to-day, a few generations after
conquest, Great Britain, France and
Austria are able 20 use as part OF their
military strength races Ike the East
Indians, the Turcos and the Slavs,
which at the time of conquest were
bitterly hostile, would not Germany IN
time be able to use as part OF her mill
tary strength the enormous population.
nearly one billion. which her complete
subjugation Of the Allies and their col
onies would give her?
If Germany, thus cutranklng the uG-
subjugated civilized nations many
times over in total available popula-
ton. ordnance works and ST. pbui.dinS
works. should retain her wish 20 rule
this planet, could the scattered unsu5-
jugated countries resist ner?
Antwerp was thought impreGnaO.e.
Have we better reason for holding that
the Atlantic is really a complete pre-
lection against 4 foe outnum0erlng Us
ten to one?
In order 20 be prepared 20 resist
Germany should we not have TO be-
come and remain in perpetuity mill
tary people?
Would not her conquest Of the rest
of Europe, of this hemisphere and of
Japan mean the extinction Of the cult
ure based on might makes duty 20
the weak and its complete replace
mont Of the culture based on might
makes right" as the conquest of
Greece mean. the extinction Of Greek
culture?
In case German thoroughness aad
system should completely prevent all
non-Germans in subjugated countries
from possessing firearms. and thereby
concentrate all power in the hands OF
those believing in 'n .ght makes right ~
how could her yoke be thrown OF
Could Bunker Hill and Lexington have
been fought if King George had dis
armed the colonists with German fore
sight and thoroughness
II Germany and Austria should be
defeated, is it not probable that the
other nations would then form q
strictly defensive alliance against them
and against any nation which invades
the territory of another. lest another
war as much worse than the present as
the present is worse than 1870 be
launched on the world at the Will OF
some HohenZollern
Ii such an alliance were formed
could not we and the other non-Ger-
man countries then remain Industrial
instead o. being forced in,o mil.tarisc'
in self-defence'
Are thcro not two courses re" o3cn
70 as which may direct tae course OF
human affairs or centuries; thc FIRST
TO be neutral. while revic,uaili and
rearwing Germany as fer Gs Is pos
sible through Holland and oeandina'
via, and thereby increasing the chance
of her reaching a position n which she
can later conquer US aad the rest OF
the planet, and meanwhile force US "a
/ become primarily military instead OF
! Industrial; the second 20 join the Al
lies and prevent Germany reaching
that position, not only directly oy oul