New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-13
Slowly Drifting Toward War.

Such policy makes for war because
il insures an endless repetition of in
ternational incidents. It means that
there will be. as there has been for
months, a succession of differences,
mounting tension and in the country a
growing Impotence, anger and resent
ment ut the German course. coupled
with an ever-increasing conviction in
Berlin that Mr. Wilson does not mean
to take any drastic step.
American policy is therefore placed
squarely at the mercy of the first
sweeping gust Of popular wrath in this
country, without being able TO lessen
the chance that German acts will pro-
woke this outburst.
At the outset of our debate with Ger
many there were two possible courses
omen to Mr.. Wilson. He could have
affirmed the intention of this country
TO maintain international law. But in
making such an affirmation it was es-
sential to convince Germany and recOg-
nize himself that the country would de-
fend the position il thus assumed TO
the end and TO the last possible re-
source.
1t was equally possible before the
Lusitania incident to accept those con-
ditions which Germany was prepared
to make. She was ready at all times to
guarantee immunity to American ships
in the war zone. Then the administra-
tion might have warned American citi-
zens to avoid belligerent passenger
ships. Such a course would have re-
moved all real chance of a dispute with
Germany. One policy would have been
inspiring, the other only safe, but II
was impossible at all times to combine
the two.
Moral Force Not Sufficient.
Nevertheless, this is what the admin
istration attempted TO do Without the
smallest intention to defend his cham
pionship Of international law by arms,
If necessary, Mr. Wilson frankly took
the highest possible tone in defence Of
international law. He believed, his
! advisers believed on this point Wash
ington is unit-that the mere state
ment Of the American determination
would make Germany comply. He was
convinced that there was in his posi-
tion a moral force which would be ire
sistible.
II is equally clear that Germany rec
ognized the state of mind of Mr.. Will
son. 1t comprehended that his policy
was not one of action. 1t grasped the
essential fact that Mr. Wilson was re-
| lying upon moral force alone and that
he had not considered the question of
! hghtinR.
Therefore Germany, engaged in life
and death struggle with natiops which
had carried their challenge of German
ideas to the trenches. with millions Of
h,- ~ . ,at, IL,
fcnd German views, gave little heed to
alone.
This policy of moral force was
bankrupt when the Lusitania went
down. But the real peril only then
became visible. Mr.. Wilson, by his
"Strict accountability" note, had put
his country and his administration in
a fatal position. To abandon the role
of defender of the international faith
was now TO accept responsibility for
supreme national humiliation. Yet
it was still impossible to escape by
taking drastic action, for there was
still the necessity to avoid that dis
approval he believed would come from
the South and West, which still chung
10 the peaceat-any-price attitude.
Accordingly Mr. Wilson fell back
upon the course Of more notes. After
some hesitation he reasserted the doc
trine of moral force. But this was a
perlOus course, because each success
i've note necessarily asserted Ame-l-
can championship Of international law
more sharply, defined the issue be-
tween the United States and Germany
more clearly. and thus reduced the
margin OF safety for diplomatic ex-
changes.
Germany Sconful Of Opinion.
The Arabic incident marked the
final bankruptcy OF the policy II
moral force. II was a final demon
stration OF the fact that Germany
was not concerned with such discern
forts as it might suffer from the scorn
Of the world, while she was able. un-
hampered otherwise. to pursue
course Of reprisal directed at an en-
envy who was seeking to starve her
population and ruin her career as
world power.
II would be difficult to exsggerate
the CONSERVATION created by the Ara