New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-08
Nation Running Amuck,"
Typifes Opinion of the
Kaiser'S Sea Policy.
"NOLAW OF NATIONS
NOW" SAYS "STAATS''
German Herold" Blames u. S.
and Cunard Officials for Per-
hitting Dangerous Sailings.

"A great nation running amuck ana
calling it military necessity" phrase
in the editorial of The New York
/ World" this morning on the sinking OF
! the Lusitania, typifes the majority of
the comments on the disaster in the
newspapers printed in English.
That the effects upon public opinion
{ in this country will more than counter
act the success of the undertaking is
asserted by most of these newspapers.
The German newspapers justify the
deed and declare that the passengers
we're given fair warning by the German
Embassy in the widely circulated ad-
vertisements published just before the
liner sailed. They regret the loss OF
life. but they say tina. Germany IS
lighting for her existence; that Eng
land is trying TO starve her out; that
international law has ceased to exist,
and now only ones interest Is to be
recognized.
The World says:
"The circumstances and the conse-
Guences Of the destruction Of the Lusl-
tania by a German submarine call for
all the self-restraint and self-posses-
sion that the American people can
command.
"How many American lives have
been snuffed out in the loss of the
Lusitanis we do not yet know. But 1t
is no fault Of the German government
that anybody escaped from the ship.
II is no fault OF the German govern
ment that every American on board the
Lusitania is not lying at the bottom OF
the sea.
what military advantage was
gained by such procedure comparable
TO the moral revulsion against Ger
many that it is certain to produce,
Modern history affords no other
such example of a great nation run
ming amuck and calling it military ne
cessity.
What Germany expects 20 gain by
her policy is something we cannot
guess. What advantage will 1t be TO
her TO be left without friend or
well-wisher in the world? The war
cannot last forever. Peace will eventu-
ally come, if only through exhaustion.
What will be the attitude Of the other
nations toward Germany when the con-
fict is finished? How many decades
must pass before Germany can live
down the criminal record that she Is
writing for herself in the annals Oh
history"
"The American after protesting
against the kind of warfare that calls
for the death of peaceful travellers, IN
Guiding hundreds of women and chill
drep. saws that such an act Of war must
teach the people Of the United States
that a nation can rely'upon nothing Tor
its own protection except its own phys
ical power to safeguard 1t against all
menace.
Consideration for the laws of war
vanishes" il SAYS, ain the face Of so
great a catastrophe which violates the
greater law Of common humanity.
at is cruelty late to begin the prep
aration for self-defence which ought
not to be preparation now, but com
pleted fact. But late though it is, such
action is doubly demanded by the les
son of the Lusitania. We can trust
none of the parties to this war. II
peace should Unexpectedly come, we
could not trust in peace any OF the
nations that in war have shown them
selves oblivious TO international obh-
cations. Ii is for US TO set our Shout
ders to the wheel and put our nation
in condition of thoroughly adequate
defence. The United States must be so
equipped with a naval force that no
nation would be able to disregard its
treaty obligations with safety or TO
attack this nation with any hope OF
success. This demand must be made
clear by the expressed and unequivocal
mandate of the people. If the present
authorities in power in Washington re-
main deaf to il at this crucial moment,
as they have been deaf hitherto, 1t will
be the part of the nation to turn them
out at the first possible moment and
supplant them with an administration
able to comprehend the position of the
United States before the world. The
United States desires peace. Its people
wish for peace. But they must have at
Washington an administration which
will not only favor peace. but which
will take steps 10 insure peace"
"The Press" says:
Grant that with every possible care
there was nothing for the submarine
to do but 70 destroy the huge trans
atlantic liner, since there was no way
10 get her into a German port, it is
not at all sure that the results will
Justify the daring of the undertaking
and the success of its fulflment."
"The Staats-Zeitung" says: Nobody
will maintain that the disaster to the
Lusitania was entirely unexpected.
There had been sufficient warning. II
is only necessary to point to the ad
vertisement of the German Embassy,
which drew the attention of American
travellers to the dangers of a Euro
pean voyage.
To-day we are entitled TO ask the
question: What has the British Ad-
miralty done to protect the Lusitania
and her passengers Does England
still consider the German submarine
blockade bluff. or is the British feet
afraid of the German feet and its sub
marines?
"Regrettable as the attack upon
passenger ship of the type of the Lusi-
tania is, il must not be forgotten that
this war is being waged for the ma
tional existence of a whole people,
which England is trying TO starve out
because it has realized that it cannot
subdue il by night. Against these illegal
methods Germany is fighting.
when the United States protested
against the establishment of a war zone
around the British Isles Germany con-
scented to relinquish ner determination
70 establish the zone. provided Great
Britain would consent TO the lmporta-
ton of foodstufTs for the civilian pop
ulation Of Germany. Against this Great
Britain protested. and announced that
she would adhere to her policy OF
starving out Germany.
t,In this Mar nnne of the helllReren