New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-14
Moral Bankruptcy.


TO Austria Hungary now what he should
have said 70 Germany on the morrow OF
the Lusitania. He is saying it simply be-
cause, under the lash Of popular criticism
and public indignation, he can no longer
avoid the duty which he has eluded Tor
many months. He is saying it to Austria
because 20 say it to Germany would be
final demonstration to the whole world
ard TO his countrymen first Of all that
the foreign policy Of his administration
during recent months has been sham,
thinr insincere, inveracious and cowardly.
Our main quarrel is with Germany, not
with Austria. The real crime against
humanity and against American human
itv was the Lusitania massacre. The An
cora killing was small compared with that
Of the Lusitania. Had Mr.. Wilson done his
duty in the first instance there would
have been no second The note that he
has now addressed to Vienna is not a.
whit stronger, despite a certain provoca-
tive severity of language, than that sent
70 Berlin on July q.
We have grievance against Austria
We have a right TO demand Of Austria a
J.savowal and ell other necessary &C
acknowledgements of brutal crime and an
.ntolerable injury. We have right to de-
mand it in the tone in which Mr. Wilson
las now demanded it. But why should we
lcgin with Austria? Why should we
-e toward the Dual Monarchy rudeness
G. language out of all keeping alike with
p words and our methods in dealing
with Germany? Is it because Austria is,
nv comparison, weak nation, lacking in
wal force and military power when con-
listed with Germany?
70 call the Ancona note more than an
.matum is merely to confess that a real
r,,imatum when sent by the American
Government has ceased to have any effect
and is treated with contempt, ignored and
6isregarded. The "strict accountability
Tote was more than an ultimatum. The
omit to perform no word or act" was
more than an ultimatum. The note Of
July 81 was in every respect, save
only in tone, more than an ultimatum
But Mr.. Wilson told the German Govern
ment in his "too proud to fight" speech
that he did not mean his first Lusitania
note, and Mr.. Bryan told DR.. Dumba,
speaking as the official representative of
the Wilson Administration, that the first
Lusitania note was for home consumption,
not foreign attention, and by failing to
dismiss Mr.. Bryan Mr.. Wilson accepted
the responsibility for Mr.. Bryan's course.
Mr.. Wilson has sent harsh note to
Austria now, because he dares not send
the same sort of communication TO Ger
many. He does not dare, not merely or
mainly because Of the possible menace of
war with Germany, but because such a
note would remove the last vestige Of the
diplomatic triumph" of last summer
That triumph was an empty sham. Such
triumph as there was derived from the
fact that the British fleet had disposed OF
the submarine campaign and Germany
needed a pretext TO cover at home the
failure of that attack which the people
had been taught TO believe was magnif-
cent success.
But 10 that sham victory Mr.. Wilson
and his apologists are still sticking with
desperate tenacity. If it goes by then there
gces all that is even respectable about the
whole foreign policy Of the Administra
ton, and the folly and fumbling, the in
sincerity and the cowardice are disclosed
il their full responsiveness. No American
viii then be able 70 mistake the fact that
his Government has sought for months to
escape the duty Of protecting American
lives abroad and calling 10 account ma
ton which deliberately murdered Amer
ican men, women and children
Not even now can Mr.. Wilson make up
bis mind TO face the fact. He cannot
bring himself 70 direct at Berlin any ulti-
,oatum. At last aware that the country is
stirring, rousing itself in wrath and in
dignation at recent shameful history
he has undertaken by indirection, by a