The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-06


From an article written by the
senior ex-President Of the United
states and printed in the April mum.
her Of the Metropolitan Mdgdsine We
extract these remarkable passages:
"The United States. thanks to Me.srs.
WILSON and BRYAN. has signally failed
in its duty toward Belgium. We had
pledged our support TO the International
agreements OF The Hague, which ex-
plicitly guaranteed Belgium against the
very type Of disaster which first befell
It. and against tho hideous wrongdoing
which followed upon this initial disaster;
but with timid Sinking OF duty which
has brought dshonor upon this nation,
the Administration failed TO utter one
word In behalf OF these violated agree
ments 10 which the nation had been a
party. Thanks 10 the Administrs ton.
tho United States has been faithless to
i's duty and has lost tho chance 20 gain
q moral ascendency that would have
been a powerful influence for the best
interests OF humanity. When this. the
most powerful Of neutral nations which
had signed the conventions OF The
Hague. failed 10 protest against their
violation. Il lost its great opportunity
10 take an effective stand for peace and
against lawless international violence.
Treaties are worse than worthless unless
fulfilled, for treaty is only A promise.
and Il IA far hotter never to make a
promise than lightly to make 1t and
lightly 10 break H."
"president WILSON and Secretary BRv-
An have fallen into the not uncommon
error OF believing that bad faith in the
performance OF neutral duties may he
onset By weakness in asserting neutral
rights. They have Moderated high
sounding platitudes about peace and
morality in the abstract while not ven
turing 10 say one word about the viola
tons of the Hague conventions by Ger
many at the expense of Belgium"
There Il something essentially igno-
BILE in having failed to stand up In gem
erous and manly fashion for the rights
OF others who were grievously wronged.
In having failed 10 do our duty, which
We were pledged to perform. on behalf
OF humanity. The failure OF
Messrs. WILSON and BRYAN TO do their
duty TO humanity and 10 carry out the
obligations OF this nation In the case OF
Belgium has put us at a dreadful dis
advantage as regards every protest made
on behalf OF our own interests"
yersal peace treaties while not daring
10 demand the enforcement Of the Hague
conventions was either cowardice or od!-
Gus hypocrisy"
We agree heartily with Colonel
ROOSEVELT with respect to many Of
the views expressed by him in this
even more than usually candid com
position. THE SUN hardly needs TO
say that 1t regards the violation Of
Belgian territory by Germany and
the attempted destruction OF Belgium's
national existence as one Of the great.
est wrongs ever inflicted on one PEG
pie by the brutality Of anothpr's su.
pcrior force. We share. likcwise
Colonel RoosEvELT's opinions concern.
ing hyph"natcd Americanism; and we
have naught hut commentator for
mo patriotic fcrvOr and sound sense
Of his remarks on the need Of ade
auate military preparation on the part
Of this republic. Furthermore, we
AFRO not conscious Of any irresistible
impulse 10 defend President WILSON
and Secretary BRYAN against charges
az folly or fe"hl"n"ss in matters Of
foreign policy
In this particular instance, how.
Aev"r It is mere Justice to the Presi