New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-20

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The great majority of our American
people are Of opinion that England and her
allies are fighting not only to fulfil their OBJ
legations to defend their own territories, and,
In fact. to maintain their independence, but
in defence Of the principles Of civilization.
We believe also that the success Of England
in this contest is essential for the defence OF
tho United States against similar aggression.
We contend that this is war Of German
aggression, which was initiated with the pur-
pose of establishing a German worlds en-
pire. We hold that the war, which was be-
gun with an act of infamy, the invasion and
destruction o. Belgium, has been conducted
with unwarranted and indefensible acts of
barbarism.
In order to defend their action in wagIng
war through Zeppelins and submarines
against non-com batants and in the murder Of
women and children the Germans can only
refer back to .he brutalties which have at
tended conflicts of earlier centuries. One
recent German writer points out that during
the French Revolution there were murders
Of women and children" He might as well
have reminded US that the Thirty Years war
fought by Germans against Germsns) was
CHARACTERIZED by many barbarities such as
the twentieth century ought naturally to be
ashamed of. Even the soldiers of the revo-
utionary army of France, fighting under
such leaders as Dumouriez and Napoleon, did
not venture TO carry on deliberate warfare
against unfortifed cities and to indulge in
the wholesale murder Of non-combatants, OF
women and children. Why, however, should
the Germans Of to-day take the ground that
they are satisfied with the standards of ac-
tion which characterized warfare a century
and half ago?
The actions of the Germans in this war
and the principles on which they are de-
Tending these actions, the methods under
which they have dominated the territories
occupied by their armies in Belgium and in
the northeastern provinces OF France, are
examples of what the world may expect. and
Of what the United States may expect, if the
plans Of Germany for worldwide empire
should be brought to successful conclusion
Germany and her allies or rather, her de-
pendents). Austria and Turkey. are. under
their present methods of conducting the war
with a system of murders, to be character
lied as the wild beasts of Europe and the
states which are giving of their blood and
their treasures to restrict the operations of
these wild beasts, to put back into their own
territory the forces Of Germany and of Aus
tria and to drive the barbarous Turks out Of
Europe are entitled to the sympathy and to
the cooperation Of Americans.
The success Of Germany in this war would
mean the destruction of the independence Of
the smaller states, such as Belgium, Holland,
,a,L Nd SrYtt
that the Christian population COR such frag-
ments of this population as may at the close
Of the war be surviving in the territories Of
Turkey IS to be left under Turkish control
for murders in the future, such as Turkey is
to-day, without protest or question from
Berlin, carrying on in Armenia. 1t would
mean that Europe would be brought under
military despotism and that the rights Of
the peoples to select their own rulers and to
direct the policy of their several states
would be disregardcd. 1t would mean the
crushing of France and the breaking up of
the British Empire. The appropriation OF
the British colonies in the Western Henri
sphere would bring TO US, as an immediate
noighbor, this imperial and aggressive power.
The United States would then have the alter
native Of either fighting or Of submitting to
the same crushing domination that had over
taken Belgium and France.
Americans have, therefore, in the success
Of England and her allies in this struggle
not merely general interest In the fight OF
civilization against barbarism, but a direct
and personal interest in the protection Of
their own independence and in the mainte-
nance Of their own policies
II. seems TO u, therefore, that wa should at
this time do nothing that might make 10 more