Evening star., 1915-05-20
The Vital Issue.

The demand OF President Wilson
upon Germany which Is backed by
the whole nation. including most
Americans OF German descent. re-
quire> rcparation $50 far as that Is
possible for tho unlawful destruc-
ton of american livcs-rncn. women
and babie>-ard effective guarantees
against such homicidcs in the future.
In his note President Wilson eN-
presses tho opinion that American
rights cannot hc effectively guaran-
teed except through the abandonment
by Germany "i use OF submarines as
commerce -dcstroycrS. But this opin-
ion. with it, Incidental criticism "t
this submarine warfare as unlawful
and inhunlanc. Is not demand and
does not raise "hghting issue.
On the issue respecting rcparation
for the unlawful destruction OF Amer
ican lives and the cessation OF such
destruction there can be no conpro-
mise or bargaining, Germany Is eN-
peeted to meet this issue squarely III
manly. sympathetic spirit. disclaim-
ing. so far as the truth will permit.
expectation and specific intent to de-
stroy American lives. and coupling
guarantees for the future with regrets
for the past.
II Germany insists that American
lives can be safeguarded without
abandonment by it of the use OF sub
marines against hostile merchantmen,
armed or carrying munitions of war.
the subsidiary issue raised by such
future submarine operations. directed
solely against belligerents and safe
guarding neutrals. might well become
a subject of negotiation. And this ne
eotiation would naturally and wisely
take in Great Britain and result III
cessation by both belligerents Of their
competition in violations of interna-
tional law to the injury of neutrals.
If in fact safeguarding American
lives and respecting neutral rights
the belligerents confined to each
other their competitive savagery the
American word of remonstranee
would not be backed by the American
act. There would be no suggestion OF
American hostilities to compel one
beIliperent to observe international
law in dealing with the other. II in
competitive reprisals the belligerents
slaughtered each others prisoners
and poisoned each others wells we
should not intervene with force to
check this barbarism.
But President Wilson'S letter ought
to produce wholesome results in re-
spect to both issues. 1t should Sc
cure reparation and guarantees IN re-
spect to American lives. ships and
rights as neutrals. 1t should open
up the whole question of belllgercat
violation OF neutral rights in this war,
and revive in more vigorous and et-
fective shape the representations
and suggestions on this subject pre-
viously made by the United States
to both belligerents.
Instead oi waging against each
other a war OF savage reprisals, involv-
ing competitive barbarism in viola
ton OF international law and neutral
rights. let Germany and Great Brit
ain compete for favor in the tribunal
OF world opinion for supremacy IN
civilization. in humanity and in obc-
diencc 10 the law OF nations. No
points in the war game will be lost by
the victor in this competition. The
acts from which both belligerents
will abstain do not suggest conscious
military cihciency. but the foul
strokes. the lawlcss and abhorrent
methods OF warfare 10 which the
cowardly and the desperate resort,