New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-16
ATTACK ON THE HESPERIAN'
Considered to Merit the Same In
dignation as That Aroused by
the Arabic Sinking.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Nav not remind you Of the inspiring
motto which has led your most excellent
paper into being one of our most potent or
CANS of public opinion First to Last the
Truth? The remarkable growing power of
The Tribune has been due to an answering
adherence to that principle. But, sir, if you
permit Inconsistency to mar that principle
fear that it may yet reach the same state oil
mockery into which that other and ideal
motto has fallen which encrcles many of our
gold and silver coins In God We Trust"
respectfully submit that your editorial Of
this morning on 1.-THE Attack on the Hes
perian" cannot be reconciled with the mag
nifcent words which you wrote on the goth
ultimo under the heading of Deliberately
Unfriendly." You then said: ave do not
know whether more American lives have been
lost or not But what difference does this
make? If the would-be murderer misses, If
his bullet goes astray, does society less GER
tainly incarcerate him? 1t is not the fault of
the German commander that every American
on the Arabic was not drowned. All that the
assassin could do was done. All that the
u
pete was done. If chance spared Americans,
il was chance alone"
These glowing and patriotic words are
doubly applicable to this last atrocity of re-
peated German nsolence. Our last word was
said when the Arabic murder was perpe-
trated II cannot be better expressed than in
YOUR own language: "The time has come now
q To aIL f,trthar IL RI Command with
infamy and continue relations with savagery
II is TO write ourselves down willing victims
az consenting to the continued slaughter Of
Americans" And yet, Notwithstanding those
words which voice the feelings Of every true
American, you now seem to recede from that
sound position, and in this mornings edl-
torial it would seem to appear that you palli-
ate murder parallel in all respects to that
o. the Arabic, which you so justly condemned,
and which is all the more monstrous because
of the assurances received from the German
government that such murders would in the
future not occur again.
Are we forever going to resort to that
weakest of all means-words, words, words
How much longer shall we compete to out
bark the barking dog? Are our honor and
self-respect to be forever fouted and scorned
before the whole world? Are we to allow the
now historic phrases of "strct accountable
ity" and deliberately unfriendly" to be read
by our children and our children's children
with a sense of shame, while all the world
points the finger of scorn and tells them that
the American bark was truly glorious her
itage Of which this nation should be forever
proud? / submit that it were better for US
to become German vassals than to have his
tory record any such unmanly and cowardly
attitude.
This morning you state: $50 long we
accept the assurances of Count Won Bern
stortf at their face value land there is no
good reason for questioning their sincerity or
validity we must regard individual deyia-
tions from the new submarine policy less as
offences by its own servants against US than
as offences by it's own servants against the
dignity, authority and good name of the Ger
man government"
/ am constrained TO disagree with you in
this statement The master is liable for all
acts of his servant which result in injury to
seine one else when that servant is acting
within the scope of his masters business
that is elementary. That the commander Of
the submarine which sank the Hesperan was
acting within the scope of his masters bust
ness cannot be questioned; therefore, your
argument is not convincing.
What you say concerning the sincerity and
good faith Of Count Won Bernstorf is open t.
much doubt, for il is almost inconceivable
that these submarine commanders should act
contrary to German Admiralty orders, when
we remember that implicit obedience-snd