New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-30
CRISIS OF THE WAR"
Questions of More Moment Than
the Number Killed.
To the Editor Of Tn. Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Your editorial of this date Is an srti-
Gle that ought to be read and pondcred over
by every citizen Of the United States OF
America. There Is bound to be difference
Of opinion on all subjects. consequently IL Is
not to be wondered at that men Of the type
Of Henry Ford should have opinions as to
the necessity Of war, also that others might
have contrary opinions.
| Witho 1t having any opinions, have known
for forty years that this particular war was
inevitable. Consequently opinions were SIM
ply out Of place. The only thing for the ma
lions Of Europe TO do was TO get ready,
which they did. All but England, which was
not quite ready enough. Germany In 1870
got a good slice Of the French land and
81 900, 100000. They tasted so good that If
! IL had not been for England they were for
helping themselves again, shortly after that
war. AS / heard one German express It,
France did not know what TO do with its north
country. if it was in the hands Of Germany
| it would be made to blossom like the rose.
There are many things which press on my
mind, much more than how many people are
being killed in Europe. One is the effect OF
allowing too free an ingress to the Euro
peans, with our present redundant popula-
ton. The English speaking people have
made a country here that certainly has been
an attraction to immigration from all parts
of the world ] read that there arc 10000
600 of German hyphenates. II seems incred-
/ ible and is. fancy, an exaggeratlon. In any
event they are numerous and have proved
themselves absolutely dangerous to our peace.
! Without the slightest doubt, any time in the
/ last ten years if we had run into war with
Germany this entire mass of our population
would have co0perated with their countrymen.
Among the many admirable letters you
have published ! have noted one in particu-
lar, by Mr.. George Haven Putnam. He prac-
tcally contends that we are now at war with
Germany. | agree with him. II Mr.. Roose-
welt were our President I take it for granted
that he would assume such TO be the fact and
proceed to intern substantial number OF
Germans as warning and keep very vigil
liant and stern eye on the balance, with plenty
Of preparedness on the side.
| 1t certainly behooves every American 70
avoid cuitvating opinions. The Europeans
are class that know precisely what they
want and require no assistance from US
either TO straighten out their difficulties or
y
and can practise, with very good effect,
great deal of humility. There are three old
fashioned sayings that might be said to APP
ply TO this war and which will be demon
strated 10 solve the unknown quantity:
"They who SOW the wind will reap the whirl-
wind" "They who draw the sword will per-
ish by the sword" "The mills of the gods
grind slowly, but they grind exceeding
fine" There is one point, however to my
mind automatic. The longer they take TO
get the answer the longer will be profound
peace for the world at large, until they
thicken up again, when the same process will
come up again.
Your editorials and war work have been
wonderful and kept your readers very much
Eau courant," and no better piece of writing
has escaped your pen than your Moral
Crisis of the War" READER.
/ New York, Nov. q, 1915.