Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-05-14
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TIM PRESIDENTS NOTE.

The note Of President Wilson 70
the German imperial government II
unusually positive In tone, when We
consider the customary usagcs Of
diplomatic Intercourse between ma
tlons
Az the same time, Il leaves plenty
Of loopholes for Germany II that ma
ton actually would prefer 10 have
the United suites remain a friendly,
neutral state during the continuation
Of the war
u Is an American virtue 10 Keep
cool IN a crisis, and the president IL
maintaining that virtue with admir-
able 0dcIily SO are the American
people generally.
For legal justification, the Ameri-
can note actually depends upon the
Gulflght Incident the Lusitanin trag-
cdy contains the appeal to the Jury,
should such an appeal become
necessary
The sinking OF the I.usiiania was
an act Of war. aud must. accordingly,
be judged ~ the standards OF war.
From the outset, Germany has ylo-
lated the standards Of civilized war-
fare whenever ii appeared to her adj
vantage 10 DO 10 The killing OF non
combatanta without swing opportu-
nifty Of escape Il on q par with her
outrageous conduct Of the war In Bel.
gium.
II was With hesitation and real re-
erct that the Journal published. yes
lcrday morning the report OF Viscount
James Bryce. former ambassador 70
The United states ana author Of The
American commonwealth, on The
outiages committed hy German aol.
oilers against the civilian population
OF icgium. The fairness OF Lord
bryce, his well-known probity Of
character aud the exceptionally ae-
,uratc sources OF his Information,
force ua 10 believe that he has not
ovcrdrawn the picture The revela-
items are no less revolving than those
porpeuated BY The Moslcms against
The Christians Of Macedonia and Ar
inenm which caused Gladstone 70
coin the phrases "rhc unspeakahle
Turk aud Abdul the damned
vAcount nfyee says the horrorp
perpelrnted IN Belgium could not
have been merely the result OF mill.
tary license. for the discipline q the
German army is proycrbially strins.
emit nor from any special ferocity Of
the troops because the German peas
ants are kindly ana good natured
lie says
Ffhe explanation seems To be that
theyc eNctsseR were committed ~ Ia
some eases ordered. Ia others allowed
pn 4 system and in pursuance of a
SGT purpose That purpose was to
strike error into the civil population
and disheHfteu the Belgian troops. Ha
AZ 20 crush down resistance and ex.
tinguiAh The very spirit ni sclf-dcfense
The pretcxt that civilians had fired
uilon the invading troops was used IL
dividual francs TERRIERS. bur the muir.
dpr of largo numbers of innocent eiV.
iiaus, an ACT absolutely forbidden bs
the rules If civilized warfare
In the minds OF prussian officer.
war seems la have become q sort o.
saered mission, one pf the hlKhes
functions OF che omnipotenl state
which Is itself a. mucli an army as
state, Ordinary mortality ana the on
NnatN sentiment 90 pity Vanish III it
presence, superseded ~ a new stan
dard which 1uHtifies to the core ever
means that can runduce to SUCCESS
however shocking % D natural sens
~ justice and humanity. however re
voting 70 hls own feelings
The German excuse that American
had been warned go keep on OF Hrit
ish ships Is merciiessly punctured i
President Wilson Merely giving a ma
warning that sou win shoot him il h
travels certain road. does not jus
iily the aes.
Thp amazing thing about Il Ia
Germanys failure 10 understand III
viewpoint Of others and especially Z
Americans. When the German sui
marines had the British ship corner
I'd, there was opportunity, By chiva
rous action. 70 win the hieh regaf
81 public opinion In this coantrl
suppose. fer example, that the Gel
man submarines had met the f.us
iania On the high seas, stopped h