New-York tribune., 1915-07-09
Concessions"

the concessions the Ministry OF Marine was
willing to make. | have reason for bellev-
ing that is now settled and the government
here is practically agreed on the FORM
tenor and contents. 1t appears to have
resolved itself into the question whether
the concessions Germany is willing to make
will be acceptable to America"
It would be difficult to find in the whole
history Of modern diplomacy more re-
n1arkable situation than is disclosed in this
dispatch 1t would be next to impossibleI
to discover a parallel anywhere for the
German state Of mind represented by the
use of the word concession"
Let us always keep in mind the exact
status Of difference between the United
States and Germany. Some scores OF
Americans, including many women and
children. have been murdered by German
naval officers and men acting under orders
from their superiors. These Americans
were proceeding upon a Journey they were
entitled to make under all existing laws
of nations. They enjoyed the protection
Of their own country and they had the
additional guarantee of the President OF
the United States, contained in the official
announcement to Germany that our gov
ernmcnt would not consent TO permit Ger
many to abolish our rights by her subma-
rine policy.
So far the situation is clear. Our fel-|
low citizens having been wantonly muir
dered. our government called upon Ger
many to repudiate the act and give assur-
anco that hereafter Americans travelling
on the sea should enjoy the safety that
they were entitled to enjoy under all exist
ing international conventions. Now the
Imperia. German Government, as reported
in the dispatch to "The World" is at last
decided upon what Concessions" 1t Will
make: that is. upon what conditions it Will
refrain in the future from murder-from
. the murder Of women and children Of the
United States.
Is not this Of a piece with all German pol
lev since August /? Belgium was an in
dependent state, enjoying full liberty Of.
choice. and in addition had its neutrality
guaranteed by Germany. Yet Germany
suddenly demanded the right to send her
troops through Belgium. If Belgium
would permit this, it will be recalled that
Germany offered certain CONCESSIONS y
BELGIUM was to be evacuated when Ger
many got ready and was TO be paid ''com-
pensation" for any damage done.
To her eternal glory, Belgium declined
to accept these Concessions" Human his
tory for all time will be decorated by the
record Of the resistance Of the Belgian
people. who gave the world q new Their
mopyla and a great conflict an inspiring
and enduring episode. But the conse-
ouences to Belgium are known to all Amer
leans. First her armies we're beaten; then
her civilian population was massacred in
many localities Her women were out
ragged and her children murdered; finally,
her cities were burned
Now the single difference between the
history Of the American relations with
Germany and those Of Belgium is that
with us Germany tried murder first. Our
cities were out Of her reach, our territory
could not be occupied-she could only kill
our women and drown our children. But
what she could do she did. To Belgium
she offered Concessions first; 20 us she
now offers concessions" after the Lusi-
tania massacre has been achieved
President Wilson must decide whether
these concessions" arc to be accepted. He
has so far manifested an admirable con-
stancv H. his insistence that American
rights shall not be invaded. But the whole
German case is an invasion of American
rights-an invasion in which negotiation
lags far behind violence and discussion
has been opened only after slaughter.
The point admirably emphasized in the
editorial columns of The Evening POST
on Wednesday should also be kept in mind.
1t is not merely American rights that are
at stake. have been invaded; the rights Of
all neutral nations are equally involved.
Our position affects the interests of many
nations, some Of whose dead have been
scattered upon the seas in the LusitaniaI
killing as were our own. If we accept
German concessions" they will perforce
have TO do likewise. International law, all
precepts and practices Of humanity, will be
swept aside and henceforth any nation
that feels itself strong enough to make
the venture will subordinate all questions
of right and humanity to those of national
desire and interest
To President Wilson it appears there is
now to come the crisis that Albert of Bel
gium so nobly faced Every recent word
from Berlin foreshadows the eventual
dispatch thence of a note which brushes
aside the whole question of the Lusitania
atrocity and seeks simply to tabulate the
American rights which Germany will perl