The Washington times., 1915-08-21
THE CRISIS

ana the United states could be IN
definitely postponed. It has been
from the beginning of the war the
manifest purpose of the Berlin gov
ernment to make a new code of war
suited to her purposes, to fight on
land and on sea, in the air and un-
der the sea, in the way best suited
to make Germany the victor in this
war that she has forced upon the
world.
The United States has stood for
time-tried and accepted doctrines Of
humanity, for the rules to which
cur Government has adhered when
It has been at war, and to which it
has demanded that others should
adhere when they were at war.
Between these German and Amer
ican ideas there has been a wide
gulf; we are very presently to know
whether it is so wide that the two
nations cannot continue maintain-
ing the relations of neighborship
and amity.
President Wilson in the most SOL
emn manner has warned Germany
that the destruction Of an unarmed,
unoffending merchant vessel, with
out warning, without examination
of papers and cargo, without giving
opportunity for passengers and crew
to escape, cannot be regarded by the
United States as coming within
those rules Of war to which this
country subscribes. The American
nation felt and understood and
meant exactly what the President
said; it will stand behind him to the
fullest limit that he may have to 60
to make his word good.
Stress was laid in our diplomatic
communications on the possibility
that American lives might be lost in
another affair similar to that of the
Lusitania. Yet the loss of life is not
the essential thing. The intent to
kill is the real test. To torpedo
merchant vessel, unarmed, without
warning, without opportunity to her
crew and company to save them
selves-this is the essence Of the
wrong against which this Govern
nent has placed itself on record in
the most impressive terms that the
language Of diplomacy knows.
The Arabic was not conveying mu-
nitions of war; she carried merchan-
disc and passengers destined to the
United States; a considerable num-
ber of her passengers were Ameri-
can citizens. Let US see what our
foreign Office had to say about this
situation so recently as July 21. In
the last Lusitania note President
Wilson said:
Illegal and inhuman acts. how
ever justifable they may be thought
lieved to have acted in contraven-
ton Of law and humanity, are mani
testify indefensible when, they de,
% rishts n' psrtieuIariy la iYe When Iofeo they Woo
late the right to life itself. II q
beligerent cannot retaliate against
an enemy. without injuring the lives
and due regard for the dignity Of
neutral powers. should dictate that
the practice ebe discontinued.
Has the practice been discontin-
ued? The case Of the Arabic is the
complete answer. There has been
no answer written in ink, over the
signature Of the German foreign
minister, but we have the answe,
written in blood, countersigned with
the thumbprint Of. the submarine
commander who sent the Arabic tc
her grave.
What are we to do in such circum
stances? The Presidents last Lusi
tania note continued:
II persisted in referring to these
practicesl 1t would In such circum-
stances constitute an unpardonable
offense against the sovereignty Of
the neutral nations affected.
"An objectionable offense." Tha
must mean something. What does i
mean? Further on the Presiden
refers to the right of the freedom O
the seas, and he says:
States will continue to contend for
that freedom. from whatever quar-
ter violated without compromise
and at whatever cost.
Could anything be more pointed
While we must hold Germany re
sponsible for the methods of he
submarine warfare and for tn
atrocities that have been incident
to it, nevertheless we must have
kind of respect for Germany for an
swering the Presidents note in tn
virile way in which she has ar
swered it in the case of the Arabic
Instead of continuing longer tn
sophomore discussion that has be
gun to pail upon the nation. Gel
many has given her answer. As
sumng that the facts are what the
now seem to be, the United State
knows exactly what it must expet