Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-23
Won BcrnstorF Properly Rebul,ed


COUNT Won BERNSTORFF the German
- ambassador to the United States, has
received from the State Department rebukc
Sc singing. so justified by his own departure
from diplomatic usage and propriety, and
yet so framed in terms of courtesy, that he is
little likely to repeat his offensc
The ambassadors note to this governments
To which Mr.. Bryan now has replied was
made up of allegations that the United
States had not preserved true neutrality as
between the European belligercnts and in
sStencc that the administration should un-
dcrtake to punish Great Britain. for its dis
regard Of international law Mr. Bryan
makes it abundantly plain that our relations
with Great Britain are not Germany's con
Germ, and that we entitled to select our
own means of making our protests effective
Perhaps il was not necessary. save for the
purpose OF Keeping the record clear, for Mr.
Bryan to rciteratc the position this country
occupies IN the matter or neutrality. but
there can be no ingenious quarrel with the
clarity and sufiiccncy Of this latest exposi-
ton To have declared an embargo on the
expectation of arms, after the outbreak of
war. would not have been to preserve ncu-
TALLY, but to violate il. To have declared
an embargo after the British feet had cleared
the seas and Germany's importatons of such
c"ntraband from this country had been rem
dered impossible would have been to strip
the allies of fairly won advantage and an
nnneutral act OF the most obvious and hurt
ful description.
fhe purpose of Count Won Berns,orff's
cflhcisms was to stir up among German
American citizens resentment against tire adj
ministration for its handling OF matters con
nocted with the war. and thus to embarrass
Mr.. Wilson in his difficult and dangerous
course That purpose has failed No one
who on this subject is capable of being af-
locte0 by reason or argument doubts that
ne PRESIDENTS whole policy has been inspired
by his love OF country. and that neither mai lice
nor partiality has swaycd his actions
Illinois now has woman Mayor We felt
reasonably confident that the State which in
cludes Chicago would never permit itself TO
be- surpassed in originality by Kansas viii
lagc--evcn though the village in question
has reverted To its idols
Perhaps when the Syracuse judge decides
the relative moral excellence of the two prin-
cipals in the famous libel case. he will he
come competent TO pass on that other dis
unctlon betwlXt twecdledum and tweedledee
The Colonel says he didn't approve alto
eciher OF what Dear Biz did way back
Nonder in the sinful days Of politics but il
never occurred to him then to break with
the sinner.
Whether Count Won Bernstorff does or does
not understand the usagcs and prophecies of
diplomacy, he has been in this country long
enough To he able to understand plain
English
one Illinois woman has been arrested on
charges OF vote buying, and warrants are ont
ior others Who says women are incom-
petent to learn the tricks of politics?
DR.. Dernburg says he doesn't believe Ger
many Will give up Belgium II Jomre and
Kitchener have their way, the good doctor
Will find himself mistaken.
Mexican politicians who object to General
iiuerta remaining in this country ought to
re content that he stays anywhere except in
Mexico