New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-18
GERMAN DIPLOMACY's AIM.
The Real Motive of the Attack on
the Lusitania.

llS huSlIduld'
/ To the Editor Of The Tribune.
/ Sir: You have cited recent failures of Ger
man diplomacy when pitted against the dip
lomats of Europe Will she be more success
/ full with our Department of State when it is
attempting to hold her to Strict accounta
bilty" for the Lusitania massacre? Your able
editorial of last Friday calls attention to the
fact that Germany's reply to President Will
sons first note has already succeeded in mod
Grating its original demands, although that
note elected the full and unqualified support
Of the American press and people Will Ger
many get still more advantage out Of the
negotiations which will naturally follow the
openings presented by the concliatory tone
Of President wilson's second note? If COM
promises with Germany are to meet the APP
proval of the American public it will have TO
fully understand why the simple demands Of
the first note. unanimously Endorsed by public
opinion. have not been adhered 70.
In order to prevent German diplomacy from
rcdeeming itself at our expense, it is of first
importance 10 determine what were Gerc
many's real motives in ordering an attack
upon United States citizens, as was done when
instructions were issued TO German subma-
rine commanders to sink the Lusitania, after
Germany had been warned by our Depart
ment of State that she would be held to
"strict accountability" for loss of American
lives by submarine warfare. Surely it was
not for the purpose of merely destroying
100000 worth Of war materials, nor was it,
as has been ingenously suggested by several
of your correspondents, for the purpose of
drawing a declaration of war from the United
States so as to divert from the Allies the
flow of American made ammunition. These
possible reasons are totally inadequate, and
the latter one is contradicted by the present
conciliatory attitude of the German Foreign
Office.
1t is recognized by many that the European
war will probably not be ended by mere mill
tary action, but that peace will come even
tually from exhaustion or from imminent
famine These conditions, the shortage Of
raw material needed for warfare, and Of
food will be ultimately brought about by the
present blockade of German ports, If Ger
man diplomacy cannot achieve what her navy
has failed to do. The only adequate COM
pensation which Germany could have hoped
to derive from the risk which she took when
she indirectly attacked the United States by
sinking the Lusitania was TO make US realize
that the United States, though a neutral, was
direct sufferer by the European war, even
TO the extent Of lives, and to give US an
urgent motive for trying to end submarine
attacks on all merchant vessels.
This in turn was 10 be accomplished by our
urging England to lift her blockade Of food
stutfs destined for the use of Germany's
civilian population, as suggested in her pre-
vious diplomatic note 10 US. In other words,
the destruction of American lives was the
spur which Germany applied to us to hasten
our action in demanding of England a policy
Of non-interference with supplies consigned
by US directly or indirectly to Germany. Do
the citizens of the United States intend that
Germany shall thus profit by the murder Of
our fellow citizens? If this is not to happen
we must make no demands upon England to
change her present practical methods Of etFec-
lively blockading German ports.
Had we not been attacked by Germany our
own commercial interests might have war
ranted our objection to England's interior
ence with these American shipments, but now
such action by US would be merely pulling
Germany's chestnuts out Of the fire" This,
as a reward for the murder Of American citi
,ens, would be not only stupid, but infamous,
and such would be the verdict of history.
AMERICAN FIRST
MN. lima 1QIE