The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-11-15
Not the Peoples viii.

We, the people of the United States have been
concerned with the way in which the national will,
the national aspirations of the Greeks have not
withstanding their constitutional form of gov
eminent, been set at naught by a pro-German
court so much so that we have not had time to
reflect that the same thing may be happening to
ourselves. Read the editorial utterances of the
great organs of public opinion. Have those opin-
ions been reflected in the action of the admins
Itration; Has the nations idea of honor of self
respect, of human decency and the conduct
becoming a great and sovereign nation, that
idea is voiced through its responsible mouth
pieces, been acted upon by those to whom not
only the nations practical courses, but likewise
Its honor and its future destinies, entrusted!
Great continental newspapers such as the con-
sentative lie Figaro are charging Washington
with having too long an ear for the German vote,
for the subsidized clamor of a venal section OF
the press that pretends to speak for that vote
They say that the murder OF women and little
children on the Ancona at the mouths of German
guns must be laid at the door OF the United
States. For, if so great a nation permits its
women and children to be murdered without tax
ing action what have the murderers to fear?
How then, can our administration refute these
charges? What reason can they put forward for
not having held Germany to strict accounta-
bility" for the Lusitania murder? 1t was prac-
tically proved at the time of Bryan's resignation
that he had informed DR.. Dumba that the Of
fetal utterances of the United States need not be
taken seriously Was this a promise
prophecy? We resented it as the one We can
not but recognize its merit as the other. They
have not been taken seriously. The United States
has not protected the lives of its citizens, its
women and children. "Civis Americans sum-
Where on the face OF the earth would that once
noble confession of faith be now received except
with hollow "ha har' Have the American
people then wed that state Of affairs? MOI
Americans have been freely charged with
being more concerned with their pocketbooks
than with their honor. That accusation is unjust
to the nation though may have some shining
individuals who merit it. But it is true of the
nation that we are more impressed with success
than with justice. The invasion of Belgium as an
incident in bold and apparently successful on
slaught on Germanys enemies impressed us far
more than it Mortified us. 1t did not arouse us to
action as it would have done had it represented
the last desperate expedient of defeat But we
are rapidly coming to a realization that Germany
is doomed to defeat. And with the glamor OF
victory fading from her banners comes reaza-
ton by Americans of the atrocities she has COM
mitted.
The Ancona case may be nothing to the ad-
ministration, seeking the easiest way to keep out
of trouble. Yet to the nation it may be the last
straw that added to the whole miserable tale of
broken faith and brutal assault upon the rights of
humanity, of arson and conspiracy and perjury
and fraud will turn not only against the per-
petrators of these outrages but against those
whose vacillating has encouraged their
commission. Honor and truth and justice not
empty words. With without the administra-
ton the people will shape their Alright.
But once aroused it is safe to assume that the
people will have small for the leaders that did
not lead but had to be impelled to belated action
by vigorous proddings from behind.