The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-26
T. R. TELLS WHEN TO
STAND BY PRESIDENT


tutlonS and against America doing its
International duty. should arouse sCorn-
full Indignation in every American worth
calling such. The leaders among the
professional German Americans have
preached and practised what comes
~rerilously near To treason against the
United States.
Under the Hague convention II was
our bounden duty to take whatever ac-
ton was necessary to prevent and, II
not to prevent, then to undo, the hideous
wrong that was done to Belgium. We
have shirked this duty. We have shown
a spirit so AFFECT that Germany has
deemed 1t safe to kin u women and
children on the high seas.
AS for the export OF munitions of
W - IL would be "a base abandonment
Of morality to refuse to make these snip
ments. Such "A refusal Is proposed only
to favor the nation that sank the Lusi-
tania and the Arabic and committed the
crime against Belgium, the greatest in
ternational crime committee since the
close of the Napoleunic contests a CEN
fury ago,
1T is not "A lofty thing, on the con-
trary il is an evil thing, to practise n
timid and selfish neutrality between
right and wrong. II IL wrong for hn
Individual. II is still more wrong for "A
nation. But II is worse in the nam or
neutrality To FAVOR Nnc Hatloh 'H"t nus
done evil.
As regards the export OF munitions
of war. the morality of the act depends
upon the use to which the munitions are
70 he put. II was wrong to ~subJugate
Belgium. 1t is wrong to keep her IN
s%ubjugation. 1t is an utterly contemptl-
hle thing not 10 help In every possible
way to undo this wrong.
The manufacturers OF cannon, rifles
-. .r Nh
refuse TO ship them for use by the
armies that are striving to restore Bel
GUM Ia its own people should be put on
a roll OF dishonOr. Exactly the same
morality should obtain internationally
that obtains nationally. 1t Is right FOR
Il private firm to furnish arms to the po-
l!ceman who puts down the thus the
burglar. the white SLAYER ana the black
handler. 1t IL wrong to furnish the black
handler, the burglar and the white SLAYER
with weapon to be used against the po-
llceman. The analogy holds true in In.
ternational life,
germany has herself been the great.
est manufacturer OF munitions OF war
TO b. supplied to belligerents. She sup
piled munitions to England to s~ubJugate
the Beers and to the Turk to keep the
Christians in subjectlon, Let us fur
nish munitions TO the men who, showing
courage Wnltl we nave nv EluiWht Wls
TO rescue Belgium from subsection and
spoliation and degradation,
And let us encourage munition
makers so that We may be able to hold
our own when the hour of peril comes
to US in our turn, as assuredly II Will
come il we show ourselves too neutral
TO speak "a word in behalf Of the weak
who AR, wronged and too slothful and
agy to prepare to defend ourselves
against wrong. Most assuredly II will
come 10 Us II We succeed In ~persuading
great military nations that we are too
proud TO fight. that we are not prepared
20 undertake defensive war for our own
vital interest and national honor,
"rhcrefure, friends, let us shape our
pnduct ms "A nation in accordance with
We highest rules OF international mo-
rality Let us treat others justly and
koep the engagements we have made.
such as those in the Hague conventions.
.u .-cure just treatment for others. But
ct us remember that we shall he wholly
unable TO render service TO other and
wholly unable to fulhl the prime law OF
national being. the law OF self preserva-
ton. unless we are thoroughly prepared
TO hold our own, Let US show that "A
free democracy can defend itself SUCCESS
fully against any organized and aggres-
sive military despotiss."