The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-19
If the conventions Of The Hague. APP

Of the conventions Of The Hague, ap-
parently without the slightest knowl.
edge on his part Of the status of those
provisions at the present time: who
calls us sharply TO account for non.
performance OF Il duty under the
Monroe Doctrine and yet apparently
conceives that doctrine to he exactly
the opposite of what 1t really is; who
reproaches us land this from an Eng.
lishman! y for selfishness in the de.
fence OF u own commercial and ma
terial interests: and who calls loudly
upon us to make the protests that
have In fact been made already from
Washington both to Germany against
her method Of invading neutral rights
on the high seas, and to Great Brit
ain against her manner Of invading
these same rights.
THE SuN commends equally to Mr..
JOHN G~ALswoRTHY's p%nthologic scru-
tiny and sense OF humor Mr.. ARcHI-
BALD HURD's bitter complaint that the
United States has chosen Just this
time, OF all times. to order new bat
tleships and to reorganize its naval
forces. That this particular reproach
should accompany the other reproach
of which we have Just been speaking
seems scarcely credible. for 1t goes
almost to the limit OF the possiblli.
ties OF topsy turvy thought. inept
perception and inverted logic:
ut might hav been assumed and In
some quarters II was assumed that
America, challenging vigorously every
infraction OF treaty or convention to
which. In her own interest. she had
been signatory. would be content to
mark time In the matter OF naval prep
arations during the war in Europe"
ut was evident that as a result OF the
war tho great navies OF Europe would
suffer heavy losses. which would tend
to e~xasgerate the existing strength Of
the American navy. already about 80
per cent. stronger than that of Japan"
ut was thought that. as in the past
American opinion had shown keen SYM
pathy with the disarmament movement,
the United States would seize the op.
p~ortunity which the war Afforded Of
setting an example TO the Powers OF tho
world and thus herslding the dawn OF a
new era"
These a~nticipations have not been
realized. Far from leading In the move
ment for the limitation OF ornaments,
Congress in It's last session has given
the movement tsicl a fresh impetus"
This great democracy. sharing with
us language and in large measure polIt-
ical. social and religious institutions. has
no faith in the pleas for the Limitation OF
armaments conscious though they must
he that the be,ligerents will probably
emerge from the war weaker than they
were when the peace was broken and
wearied In mind and body. Congress has
nevertheless made provision for further
increasing the naval and military forces
OF the United States"
America. having abdi.ated her posi-
ton as the champion OF "A lofty concep-
ton OF the common welfare OF humar.-
lt,.' Is looking not TO the millennium but
to the next war. and. apparently. does
not yet apprehend all that she has sac
rifced, The Hague conventions cons,i-
tuted the supreme interest OF the United
states in this war"
Since the international discussion
OF war questions began it has been n
commonplace Of diagnosis to dwell on
the inability Of the German intelli-,
to comprehend any other ways
OF thinking or any other processes Of
thought than those operating and ex.
listing In the German intellect itself.
But this characteristic numb spot in
the minds retina is lot exclusively
a Teutonic failing. Mr.. ARCHIBALD
HrRD must be very interesting to Mr..
JOHN GALswoRTHY.