The Washington herald., 1915-12-07
And Then What? !.


Germany has abandoned her efforts to convert
the United States to an appreciation OF the bless
inss of Kultur and the 1900 "mouthies" who have
been stoutly maintaining the righteousness of her
cause outside newspaper Offices and elsewhere
must now go hungry Words failing. deeds. the
nature of which we are already familiar with. will
henceforth be the order of the day. That, the ad-
minstration appreciates this fact has at last been
evinced by the expulsion of Boy-Ed and Won
Papen from the sphere of their operations. 1t is
to be regretted that the administration did not
take "a determined attitude and evict them long
ago. before their nefarious schemes were per-
fected But il must be admitted that the position
of the United States officials was delicate one
Now, however, that matters have come to
head it would be we'll to assure the people OF the
United States that German and Austrian MINISTER'S
and consular officers will be removed onN suspi-
cion, as they should be- and not after, and only
after they have been proved guilty OF encouraging
murder or arson II is not to be supposed ior q
moment that the removal Of Won Papen and Roy
Ed will interfere with the consummation OF the
German arson plots. Only the most unremitting
vigilance of Secret Service and other officials ana
of private detectives will do that
But larger question still remains. We know
the whole of the United States knows just as well
German and Austrian empires and the German
and Austrian imperial governments directly or
indirectly responsible for the bomb outrages and
conspiraces tina. have recently been discovered IN
the United States With enormous sums OF money,
with ad vice and encouragement, with the co-opera-
ton of their officials and the assistance OF their
nationals they have brought about the murder OF
American workmcn, the destruction OF American
factories and ships, interference with American
mail, the subornaton OF American newspapers.
the forging of American passports, the violation
of American statutes and the intimidation OF the
American people.
Is there then nothing that can be done beyond
the eviction of a couple of cuff-shooting dandIes
from the German Embassy and the threatened IN
generation of some Hamburg American officials
whose offcnsc only technically menace 10
the peace and dignity of the people OF the United
States? Cannot the German and Austrian govern
ments be punished for their assaults upon our
honor and lives? That is what the people OF the
United States want what they arc beginning to
demand not in the mob spirit, but with deep and
overwhelming current of public opinion that can
not long be disregarded. That the bomb plots and
the arson plots, the brbing OF newspapers and the
paid propaganda. the forging OF passports and the
subornation of witnesses and the whole business
hatred and crime will go on and with increasing
violence we have not a doubt.
There is only one way to stop it, and that is to
notify the German government and the Austrian
government that neither their officials their
nationals can be longer harbored on American soil
and either eviet or intern every Austrian or Hun
earian and every German who has not sworn al,
Icgiance to the United States. Even then will be
left the great assembly OF the hyphenated- 10
them should be given notice that if they. by word
or deed bring themselves under suspicion OF un-
neutral conduct-their opinions and the express
sion of them cannot, of course, be objected to
their citizenship papers will be forfeited and they
themselves iuterned until the end OF the war as
enemy aliens. Only by such drastic remedies can
the administration-and nobody desires to mini
mize the tremendous burden of their responsible,
ties in this connection-hope to deal with the Aus
! tro-Cerman menace and impress upon the Contra
Empires that the United States is nation and moi
a fertile field OF operations for blood-guilty bellg
crents.