New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-01
new YORK EDITORS
DISAGREE ON NOTE
Defiant" Says "World";
"Joke," "Herald's" View;
"Sun" Mildly Condemns.
GERMAN WRITERS
ATTACK AMERICA
Ridder Calls Neutrality Hypoc-
risy, While Viereck Asserts
We Poison Shells.

Editorial opinion of the leading New
York papers this morning points out
definitely that Germany's note is tenn
PORTING ard weak, and that the United
States should immediately take a de-
cisive stand.
Never was there a period when public
opinion in this country was better un-
der control, comments the Herald"
1t believes Germany is taking the
present crisis as a great joke. On the
other hand, 1.-The Sun" believes Ameri-
can public opinion should wait for
an investigation which would prove
whether the Lusitania was a hostile
ship.
"The New York American" urges an
international conference, so that to no
single nation be left the duty and the
honor Of defending human rights. 1.-THE
World" says that the note is distinctly
one of defiance, and should be treated
by this country as such.
The editorial extracts follow:
THE American:
1--WE urge that the United States
Government secure, through an inter
national conference, or otherwise, the
agreement of all neutral nations upon
a definite code of neutral rights. Not
merely the right involved in this issue
with Germany, but the right Of neu-
trails to trade with belligerents with
out vexatious delays, and, further, the
explicit definition of contraband should
be affirmed. With this code once ex-
plicitly defined, there should follow
the agreement of all to defend IL as a
unit in any way necessary against any
infracton of the code by any nation
whatsoever. The rights 10 be defend
ed will be the rights Of peaceful hu-
mainly. and to no single nation should
be left the duty and the honor Of de-
Tending human rights"
THE Herald:
German statecraft since last July
has been smitten with some terrible
Deutschland ueber Allies II may be
the paralysis Of one set Of brain cells
from the over-exertion Of another. Be
that as it may, moral blindness has
come in the treatment of the Lusitania
case.
Germany cannot conceive that this
country regards her exploits in the
submarine field as murderous piracy
and mistakes the polite terms of the
note OF May - as merely a friendly
interchange. Her hands are dripping
with American blood, and yet il is
coolly proposed from Berlin that we
shall talk about it as il it were a ques-
ton of joint control of the Samoan
Islands or the percentage of chemicals
which We should allow in imported fer
tilizer.
There never vas period when
public opinion n this country was SO
strong nor time when it was under
better control. The sense of grea,
wrong which is general has been great
ly intensified by the opera bouffe tone
IN the note from Berlin"
The Sun:
The preliminary reply of the Ger
man government is based on its alleged
knowledge that the Lusitania was no,
OF the class OF non-combatant vessels
described by the italicized word in the
American note. Now, il is a fact that
whatever We may know TO the contrary
whatever evidence we may have in the
statements of Collector Malone and
other witnesses that the Lusitania car.
RED no cannon, that evidence is not
yet, except by hearsay, in the posses
sion Of Germany. II she has knowledge
or belief TO the contrary, the right is
certainly hers, as the defendant in the
case of specific charge, to call fol
the proof that the Lusitania was really
unarmed.
The WORLD: THE United States has