New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-09
FRUITLESS DIPLOMACY
Are Our Arguments with Germany
and England Quite Vain?
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Far from desiring to arrogate to
myself knowledge or acumen superior to our
distinguished President and his advisers, 1t
appears to my humble lay mind that the
present negotiations, both with Germany and
England, are bound to result in cul-de-sac.
Our contentious, which have carried pen
alties with them IL not conceded to, are
mainly in such direct contravention Of the
drastic policies adopted by the beligerents
deliberately in the face Of their undoubted
knowledge that the provisions of intcrna-
tional law were being strained to the limit
and even wantonly violated that they should
have impressed the government of the PROB
able futility of their negotiations far in adj
vance.
There is no doubt about the justice and
reasonableness of all our demands, but their
being so subversive of the desperate inter
ests of the war maddened belligerents, our
providing them the opportunity OF denying
us and pretence of justification, Will leave
us with no alternative but fight, ana no way
10 get at the enemy We must uphold the
dignity and defend the interests OF the clti-
zens of our great nation at all hazards, but
unOcT tne pIcStHb uhPiSNNN~"NN
the exercise of little laxity as to expedl-
ency in minor details would prove salutary
For instance. what special difference would
il make were Germany allowed to pay in
demnity for the destruction of the Frye
through her prize court or otherwise, il it
would do away with one stumbling block IN
our negotiations? On the other hand, was
il expedient 10 permit the Dacia incident, as
a test of the temper of either England or
France. with the chance of its producing re-
suits we are impotent TO counteract!
We are now giving England q chance with
our dilatory diplomacy to go on record in de-
nving our contentious, making it look Ike
defiance not to be tolerated wnen the 'lhe
comes to exercise our rights
Would it not have been better without so
MANY temporarzing notes, assuming the
locality and Justice of our action, TO nave
sent two or three United States freighters
with a CONVOY of a couple of warships all
Hvine the Stars and Stripes to bring nome
the nroperty of our citizens lying IN Ior-
eign neutral ports?
If deemed necessary, we could nave saiu
To England and Germany: "A NUMBER Oh OUT
citizens have lot of goods belonging 10
them living at the neutral port OF ROTTERDAM
which thew need in their business, ana We
arc going after them in the exercise oil our
full rights under international law and shai'
not expect to be interfered with and IN
tho mind of the writer, for time AT leas'
tbere would have been no serious inter
ference.
There is a time for temporizing and pos
sible concessions when not IN CONNECT WIN
national honor and time to act wneh III
strict conformity with our rights Are we
r,ootirc tho contingencies as they transplre
or not? $500. 49,,
An honorable compromise is better than
hiuster about technicalties which cannot
no enforced. and bold, consistent action VIII
often disarm an opponent before he has a
chance to demur and record protest.
''''''''' CONSTANT READER.
New York, Aug. 5, 1919