New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-16
NO CONFIDENCE IN
U. S. ARBITRATION
German Paper Believes
America Too PrO-Brit-
iSh i'm Sentiment.
GRANTS ATTITUDE
IN 1870 IS CITED
President Then Warned France
Against Warship lowering
Along Coast.

Cologne. Jan. ,. Expressing the
warmest friendship on the part Of Ger
many for the United States, semi
oihclal statement made through "The
North German Gazette" intimates that
Germany might be reluctant 20 accept
America as international arbter in the
settlement OF the war because Of the
uncertainty regarding American impair
TALLY.
II - understood that part - the ar
tcle explaining Germany's reluctant
attitude toward the suggestion on the
ground that America is pro-English. in
IT'S sentiment was cabied 70 America
and called out much comment.
The chief point in the statement re-
lates 70 the irresOiution Of the United
states government i'm permitting Brit
ish warships TO hover along her coasts.
and her failure 10 prevent the arbitrary
seizure by the English Of cargoes on
neutral ships sent from American ports.
u ls pointed out In the article that
when France undertook to patrol the
United states coast In 1870. during the
Irusslan war, President L. 5. Grant,
through the American Minister in
Paris, protested that the lowering Of
French war yessels on the American
coast and the espionage on American
harbors with the purpose Of trailing
neutral ships would be regarded as IAN
unfriendly act The article explains
Germapy's attitude on the ground Of
tho failure Of the United States up 70
the present moment to take similar &C
ton m the case Of British Warships
now lowering around New York and
other harbors The gist Of the article
follows:
When England IN her desire 10 crush
German commerce and to starye Ger
many stretched the lay Of coutrabaud
10 the utmoN, sending her battleship
almost into New York Harbor. Americi
said no word of protest. She suff
British battleships TO lie in wait few
miles outside New York and to stop
neutral passengers and freight steam
ers directly outside Sandy Hook. Sevea
miles from New York German passen
gers were taken Off neutral ships from
South America Although her own
commercial interests were often most
severely injured by such acts, America
suffered all this.
I'm 1870 the American government
protested theoretically against SINH
lar procedure on the part Of the French.
This protest Of the then government
Of the United States vas an honest and
strong expression OF its will honestly
TO preserve neutrality to both sides
not by words. but by powerful action.
AS in 1870. battleships are nov
hanging about the American coasts and
close 10 New York lIarbor, their
avowed object being to capture German
ships and 70 take German subjects of
neutral ships. In many cases they have
attained that object. But the Ameri-
can government does nothing which
even remotely looks like its correct &C
tion in 1870. The fact that the gov
eminent OF the United States has not
risen 10 such an ergentic action ha
benefited England and injured Ger
many.
Therefore. We cannot have such con
fidence I'M America as is necessary con-
corning a power that is to act as a
friendly and impartial arbiter in the
preparation Of peace, though we need
not by any means harbor sentiments OF
unfriendliness OF resentment toward
America. This does not prevent Us
from feeling the highest regard for the
President and the people Of the United
States. In legal proceedings TO decline
a Judge does not signify Unfriendly
feeling toward HIM, but Is merely ex-
ercising the right to preserve ones
justified interests, and this right OF
safeguarding ones own interests must
in the same sense also he claimed IN
international intercourse.