New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-09

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: For over a year the great nations Of
Europe have been at war, and to-day the re-
suit Is still obscure.
Most all of us hope and pray for the Al
lies success, and feel that some time it will
come. But is it at all certain? To those
who look at it impartially and impassion-
ately it is not. To-day, just as in Septem-
Der year ago, Germany is on the offensive,
driving the Russians before her as in the
first weeks she was driving France. Russia
may be able to stem the tide and turn 1t
back But perhaps not Hers may not be
the heroic fibre which, for the time. saved
France.
SO Germany may win-and what then
Germany supreme in Europe! How many Of
US can visualize what that would mean? For
geographical reasons Russia, though over
powered, would still remain a nation TO be
reckoned with. France, though dominated by
the Boches, would still maintain some sem
bance Of independence but England? No.
England, because of her nsular position,
must stand a great world power or fall a
vassal
II England loses she loses all, and home
and colonies are at the conqueror's mercy
And what will Germany demand? Eng
land itself? That seems hardly possible.
Canada? Why not? Is that too much for
Germany to demand? It may seem prepos-
ferrous, but is it? No. More likely she
would want more Canada would be very
desirable German colony for many reasons.
It is rich and large and very favorably stu
ated strategically, very convenient place
from which to watch US: we, the only re-
naming rival of the conqueror the one
power standing in the way of German world
dominion.
Germany fears us and she hates US. She
fears us for our commercial supremacy: we
who have grown rich on the misery of strug
Cling Europe, we who have prospered while
Germany was becoming impoverished. And
she hates US because by our "strict neutral
ity" we have aided her enemies, supplying
them with food and powder which she could
not get.
She won't forget or forgive. Does any
one suppose that the soft-spoken words that
come from the German Chancel!ery show
the true feelings Of the German people
Not for one minute. Rather the deadly tor
pedoes and the SCATTERING bombs. The po-
lite phrases are dictated by necessity alone,
that compes the German government to stop
its song Of hate which has already forced
FIVE of the great nations to battle against II.
Picture Germany in Canada. Can one
imagine greater calamity TO US? This
country which for century has lived with
English Canada like brothers in the same
home, without gun or fort to mark the boun-
Diary, suddenly faced by the conqueror of
Europe: a nation in arms, which glOries in
warfare; nation which procaims that
might is the only right; a nation that is
filled with the lust of world domain; a ma
tion that enyies US our trade; a nation that
hates US for our neutrality" Any treaty
with such a neighbor would be but scrap
of paper" We, our women and children,
would be as secure" as the women and chill
dren of Belgium.
What could we do? Build great forts
from Maine to Washington? Create a great
army ready at every moment for the fateful
day? What a sad prospect And is it so
far remote that we can dismiss it as a bad
summers dream? To some of US it seems
very real.
But whether Germany secures Canada or
not by the treaty Of peace, German victory
would be the greatest disaster that ever be-
fell the United States Of America. From
that day forward we would stand under the
shadow of war. confronted by the greatest
military nation the world has ever seen; her
seasoned armies flushed with victory, her
Golfers filled with the indemnities squeezed
from her fallen foe, intoxicated with sue
cess, her dreams Of world dominion almost
il her grasp, the great and glorious. but
alas the weak and powerless United States
of America alone standing in her way.
Then, why should We pretend to be neutral
when we are not? Why should we stand
aloof and say this is no fight Of ours, when