New-York tribune., 1915-12-09
To the Editor Of The Tribune.


Sir: As an American who for the last
seventeen months has watched the conduct
of Germany upon land and sea, and also pa
tiently waited for some declaration from
Washington to which the manhood Of the
country could respond, now feel called upon
to make an appeal through your columns to
those Of my countrymen who really cherish
the principles upon which this Republic was
founded and who also have a will that those
principles shall prevail. That these princi-
Piles are in peril there can be no doubt; that
the country will be disgraced and dishon-
ored beyond all repair unless they are cour-
ageously affirmed, and that right soon, is as
sure as the coming night.
The deeds Of Germany and her Mahometan
ally at which have been forced to look are
the same deeds which have been thrust upon
the Mortified attention of the whole world,
and there is therefore no need at this mo-
ment for enumerating the blood-stained steps
Of that Internal track Of infamy that
stretches from the rape Of Belgium to the
savage assassination of Armenia. IL is the
attitude Of the United States which is now
for every loyal American the matter of prime
concern. Are we, without the gesture of
staying hand, to let this hell that has broken
loose in this country as in Europe destroy
the hard won liberties Of the world and con-
sumo its stately institutions, or are we going
to break what wears the look Of cowardly
silence and stoutly proclaim ourselves the
champions Of that justice and freedom for
which our forefathers fought7 There is not
much time left to come TO a decision, for
England already regards US with panied sur
prise, France confesses herself as sadly dis
appointed and Germany treats US with open
and insolent contempt.
What should We, the people, do? Should
we at once declare war on Germany? :?
By no means. Such an act would be one Of
criminal and gratuitous folly. We should,
however, take firm and positive stand in
support of the principles for which England
France and Italy are contending, for if we
decline to take any such stand in relation to
these supreme issues Of national life and
death which are now at stake we shall re-
main morally discredited nation for all
time.
What. then, is the situation that requires
Of US such a stand? Its main features should
be by this time clear to every American citi-
zen But let US sum them up: First, the
Kaiser and the military clique Of Germany
are the avowed and bitter enemies Of demo-
cratic principles and institutions. II is true
that Germany has a Parliament, but it is
after all only another Of those toys for the
manufacture Of which Germany is justly re-
nowned II is permitted to amuse itself with
certain forms of political life, but when its
wishes clash with those of the Kaiser or his
self-appointed Chancellor or the General
staff these wishes are Immediately denied
trant Rechstag he dissolved it, and, what
is more, he kept on dissolving it until il did
his bidding The Zabern trial showed that
the military class is indeed supreme, ana
the treatment of the Danes in Schleswig-
Holstein, the French in Alsace- Lorraine and
the Poles in Posen are incontestable evil
dences OF unblushing military tyranny When
the United States was fighting TO lberate
Cuba from a similar tyranny the Kaiser en-
deavored to array Europe against us, and
only the decisive veto Of Lord Salisbury
saved US from attack.
Second, Germany is confessed advocate
Of aggressive war and maintains the largest
and most efficient military establishment the
world has ever seen. This army, moreover,
has been developed not for purposes of de-
fence, but for the conquest Of other coun-
tries. and it has now become a menace TO all
weaker nations which happen TO stand in the