The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-19
Major Bigclow's Letter Respectfully
Criticised.

10 THE EDITOR or TIE SUS--Sir. Major
John Bigclow. although born in New
York. WAS educated In Paris Bonn, Ber-
lin. Frciberg and Providence, II. !. This.
therefore. may account for the point OF
View he takes in his remarkable letter
Of September 10. II IA interesting TO read
the views of military man Mt any time.
but especially so at time like this, and
1t adds 10 ones interest to know tina:
this particular ono is the DISTINGUISHED
author OF work devoted 10 that i'm
portant engagement of the Franco Prus-
sian war around MARSHA Tour and
Gravelotte during which 10000 French
troops held IN check 100000 Germans on
August 16. 1870.
At the outset Major Bigelow quotes
from that part OF the proclamation of the
President OF the United States issued
August rs which urges the people to be
impartial In thought az we'll as action.
and to put a curb upon our sentiments
as well as upon every transaction that
might he construed as a preference OF one
party TO the struggle before another" He
then proceeds to point out how DIR. Eliot
and Professor Hale have disregarded tho
al, wise counsel Of the President and then
deliberately disobcys II himself What
may be pardOnable IN laymen IL not
usually deemed pardonabe in a military
man, whose first duty is to obey orders
even II he has been retired at his own
request.
In view Of his German education. one
can understand the Majors partially as
expressed in the following words: 1--WE
are advised ia join forces with Great
Britain for the protection OF the Monroe
Doctrine and constitutional government
We are told that II Great Britain is
worsted and Inundated we shall be the
next Power to share her fate. We prob
ably should he IL We should give Ger
many the provocation that Great Britain
has given her" What provocation. may
one ask?
In his effort TO "bc impartial in thought
rs well as action" he asks: Suppose that
Great Britain succeeds In her design OF
eXhausting Germany: that she disposes
OF Germany AS a rival how In this case
shall We fare at the hands OF Great
Britain, backed perhaps by Russia and
Japan? ON this interesting question We
are to adopt the professions OF our Brit
lsh cousins In their present straits and
their American sympathizers, shutting our
eyes to all the indications afforded by our
past experience Are we going TO do this?
Are we nation of simpletons? II we
will take a fraction of the time that we
spend In reading British and French war
news and apply II to the study of the
history Of the United states, with regard
to the nglo-Amer!can and German
American relations during the last las
wears. We should get the true bearing Of
Great Britain and Germany with respect
to our country and may come nearer than
we are TO the standard of neutrality 80
wisely set for us by the President
Coming events are said to cast their
shadows before. Has Major Bigeow for
gotten Samoa and tho German opposition
20 the United States there in 1888? Has
he overlooked tho piece OF paper signed
at Berlin ON June IA, 1889. which guar
auteed the neutrality OF the Islands and
the independence of the government?
Where are that neutrality and that indie
pendence now? Has he forgotten what
took place in Manila Bay Just two months
before he received his wound at El Caney?
Has he also forgotten the attitude OF the
United states Government toward Ger
many I'm the Lueders affair as shown by
its Instructions to Ambassador White at
Berlin, November 90, 1897? "Vhilc the
United States fully recognizes Gcrmany's
right to obtain satisfaction 1t could not
look with unconcern on harsh measures
or on excessive punishment of the little
republic OF Hayti," ON this occasion /:
Will he remembered that the German
Consul, Count Won Schwerin. acting as
Charge d Afaires had "rudely entered the
Presidents apartments with imperlous le-
mand and menace" to which the Pres-
dent had replied by referring him to the
Secretary for Foreign Relations
The demand was for the payment in
gold OF an Indemnity Of $1,000 a day for
the twenty-three days Lueders had been
imprisoned and for every day of pro-
longation of such imprisonment 5000 in
gold. To enforce this demand two Ger
man cruisers arrived at Port-au-Prince
and an ultimatum demanding payment
within eight hours was served. on this
occasion the leading German newspapers
showed "A feeling that any expression from
the United States on the affair was un-
called for ami must be resented as AFRO
gancc. II may be added here that Prcs-
dent Mckinley's instruction to the United
States Ambassador at the time embraced
authority to lodge II protest IL he found
that annexation OF IIayti WAS intended
or In the event OF any act by Germany
violating Justice and international law.
Yes. indeed. as Major Bgelow Justly
says, we should take time TO study the
history of tho United States" and get
bearings freed from prejudice such as will
enable us to observe neutrality that
shall measure up 10 the standard which
the President has set.
FRANK H.. VizETELLY.
New YORK, September II.