New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-05
independence Day, 1776-1915.

dence, the final expression in words OF the
spirit and the soul Of the American idea
in history, it is fitting, it is appropriate,
that Americans should consider what to
them, to their history and to their
ideals, the great conflict now raging in
Europe means.
In the past two months, and even in
the last three days, there has come to us
another direct revelation Of what the Ger
man spirit means. A whole nation stood
recently Mortified, saddened, beside the
shore and saw in the waves the final rest
ing place Of some scores Of its women and
its children. massacred because they came
between Germany and her purpose. On
Saturday last an American citizen, in his
own home, was attacked by another expo
nent of the German idea because in the
proper and rightful exercise of his in
alienable rights he, also, interviewed be-
tween Germany and her desires.
Now, the Lusitania massacre and the
attempted assassination Of Morgan are by
no means accidental or incidental circum-
stances. On the contrary, both are highly
characteristic and truly illustrative of the
German idea.
Go back over the years to the actual be-
ginning of the modern Germany, the
united Germany which owes its unity and
its impulse to Prussia, and it will be re-
called that Frederick the Great began his
long career by tearing up that solemn
pledge made to an Austrian sovereign and
invading the Sileaian province Of brave,
beautiful, but unfortunate queen. He
ended the work of his life by that first
partition Of Poland which was the begin
ming of more than a century Of slavery
for a people hitherto independent
In the Nineteenth Century the founda-
tons of the present German Empire were
laid upon the conquest Of Danish prov
inces. which included the subjugation and
slavery of some thousands Of Danes de
sirous Of living and dying citizens of the
Danish Kingdom. To ruin France the
French nation was led into an ambush,
into war for which German rulers knew
France was unprepared, by the editing
Of the Ems dispatch, the details Of which
were made known to the world many
years after by the Bismarck memoirs.
More than a million and a half of men
and women who desired to remain French
n citizens were forcibly annexed, despite
their protests, to crafty German ambi-
ton, to satisfy German desires
As recently as 1909 it was German in
tervention in the Bosnian time which ex-
tinguished the hope of 100000 Bosnian
Serbs and seemed to condemn them TO
eternal slavery to alien races. Finally,
y within the year, the invasion Of Belgium
was a new demonstration Of the spirit of
Germany in its relation TO the weak, the
helpless, the unlucky nations who lie in
the pathway Of German purpose and are
thus, in the German view of things, SEN
fenced to death To-day those who are in
authority in Germany are freely declar-
ing that Belgium must be annexed TO
repay Germany for her sacrifices in blood
and treasure.
Now, whatever Of admiration Germany
commands and deserves for the great
things she has accomplished whatever of
praise, of tribute, the American people
paw to another race which in peace has
known how to carry the organization Of
its population, the provision for its labor
ers. the administration of its cities, TO
nerfection unknown in human history, this
admiration, these tributes, should not
blind Americans to the thing that Ger
many now means in the world, to the con-
sequences to mankind, to Americans as
well as to Belgians, Serbs and French
men, of the success Of German arms in
the present world war.
If Germany succeeds many millions of
men, women and children will be pre-
vented from the exercise of all those rights
which the Declaration of Independence
recapitulates What the Poles of Posen
have endured for a century will be the lot