New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-12
Continued from page l

II feels helpless In the presence Of
situation which is perilous. because II
does not feel that it can depend upon
national support
If one were to use a parallel in re-
cent history, tho administration feels
itself in quite the position of, the As
Quith ministry IN the days that pre-
ceded the outbreak of the great war.
Sir Edward Grey. Asquith and Lloyd
George were perfectly aware that II
war came England would have to enter
it. But the English people. the Liberal
party, particularly its Radical friDges,
were totally opposed TO war and used
quite the same language that the Mid
die West now uses. 1t was not until
Belgium was invaded that public opin-
ion modified about the government.
Apathy Ties Administrations Hands.
Now, the Wilson administration feels
satisfied that American public opinion
has not modified. 1t sees the Ger
man facts quite as plainly as the AS
quith government saw its facts, but It
sees its hands tied by the apathy or
worse of great portion of the coun-
try. 1t feels that any delay, protrac-
ton of negotiations. exchange of futile
letters, which will end by awakening
the public to the fact and enlisting it
in support of the vigorous national
policy, which 1t perce!ves necessary.
will be time we'll spent.
This is "watchful waiting" In It's lat
est form, explained by It's advocates.
This, one is to understand, explains
why the Administration always tries
the weak solution first. Such a trial,
in the Dumba case, resulted In a gen.
uine explosion of public opinion The
country pretty generally indicated
conviction that Dumba should go, and
he went. If ever there was case Of
the operation Of the recall Of diplC-
mats, that is, the good old recall Of the
Kansas variety, it was in this instance.
Now, in the case Of the Arabic, the
Administration knows what II thinks.
It's opinion was set forth in the com
ments that supplied the basis for the
dispatches printed in The Tribune and
elsewhere from Washington this morn
ing. 1t feels that the Bernstorff prom
Use was an empty thing, "a scrap Of
paper" but does the country want it
to act on this conviction? Does the
Middle West see here at last justin
cation for a break with Germany Or
does 1t want to arbitratei What there
ia to arbitrate official Washington does
not know, but what does the country
feel1
Wilson Waiting for the People.
Above and beyond all else, If you
accept the administrative explanation.
the diplomacy of the United States is
being conducted by referendum, by ap-
peal to the people, by campaign OF
education, by whatever title you please
to apply 70 the method Just described.
The administration recognizes what
should be done, it submits the case TO
the people, 1t waits for the word OF
the press, II acts, or, il the voice Is
divided, 1t reverts to negotiations. 1t
is waiting for the people, it has been
waiting from the beginning.
Now, add to this a positive assur-
ance, universally made, that the ad
ministration has no intention Of sacri-
ficing any essential point of honor, and
there is suppli,l fair picture Of
Wilson diplomacy as IL describes it
self, as it defends itself, as 1t justifies
itself.
So much for the administrators
statement Now, what do the critics,
the unfriendly observers, the men who
watch the progress of events day by
day at close hand say? Something like
this: primarily that the Three Graces
Of Wilson diplomacy are named DE
lay, Linger and Wsit"-and the great
est of these il "Wait."
II is the belief of very respectable
number Of the best informed OF news
paper correspondents and other OBJ
servers here, that the administration
sent its first German note, the "strict
accountability" note, without the