Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-08-28
THE TRIUMPH OF AMERICAN
DIPLOMACY.

Upon President Wilson history will
bestow the credit Of one of the great
est achievements Of all times in the
field Of international diplomacy max
ing as it does for the maintenance Of
peace with honor on the part Of our own
country and at the same time estab-
fishing a precedent for The protection
Of neutral rights Of all powers for CEN
turtles to come
The triumphant outcome. SO far as
the United States is concerned, OF the
critical situation developing with the
German empire as the result Of Presi-
dent Wilson's protest against the
abuses involved in submarine warfare
with the loss of American life and the
I destruction Of other neutral privileges,
must he received with a high sense of
qualification by all patriotic Amerf-
cans Il carries with it another TecoE-
milton Of the American brand of shirt
sleeve diplomacy, or rather common
sense diplomacy 1t brings a fresh
. realization Of the fact that Amer
/ lea means what she says. that she is
sincere in her representations though
i she may cIothe them in in0HensiTe
/ Language, and that she is prepared 10
/ back a position once taken regardless
+ Of the cost.
j Through irmness, vet calmness in
. the right, President wilson has reso-
/ iuteIy faced his task and his responsi-
biuty and notwithstanding that lie
( has been met on one hand with tlmid-
ity and shrinking and on the other
with the blood-rhirsty ye]ping OF the
/ Roosevelt idea of Americanism, he has
known that the great body Of his
( c0untrymen were with him, that they
( trusted him and were willing to accept
/ whatever might come of his course. So
/ he has stood steadfastly at his post
/ and as the head Of the nation has up
held determinedIy before the world the
honor OF international law and has
compelled an acknowledgment OF the
righteousness of his position that viii
give to neutral powers in wars to
come. # such calamity shall again be
/ fall the civilized world. the heritage Of
principles courageously upheld and
sustained
To the peoples Of the present the
president has demonstrated that intel
ligence and Ievelheadedness rather
than buster and blow viii bring re-
spect and response from the greatest
military power Of the day. He has
without drawing the sword or even
contemplating the act, penetrated the
armored front and touched the most
vital spot in the nation as in man-rea-
son. Germany has replied that she is
amenable TO reason and has shown
that after ali. differences however
great and how far they may strain the
mystic chords that hold people together,
may be recouciIed and that the paths
of peace are preferable TO death
strewn roads or conflict.
The president has shown that man
with a righteous grievance does not
need 10 carry a bludgeon or shot
gun. or even be accompanied by q p0-
liceman. in order to right his wrongs
In other words ne needs but hold his
head and keep q stiff upper lip until
the man who wropged him realizes his
mistake.
He has shown that the greatest ma
ton in the world may, although uD-
armed. maintain its claim to that title
by insisting upon its rights and up
holding the cause Of humanity through
intelligence rather than the bulldog
procedure.
This is the Wilson type Of states
manship.