The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-06-01
A Failure in Diplomacy.

Looking the situation between the United
can be surprised or resentful at the reply of the
Berlin government to the protest of the United
States against the sinking of the Lusitania and
the murder OF lis Americans. 1t is quite gener-
ally referred to as another failure Of German di-
piomacy, but 1t implies no lack OF patriotism and
no dlsloyaty to President Wilson to assert that
inc outcome indicates rather failure OF Amcri-
can diplomacy The failure is due solely to the
tact that the note OF the United States govern
ment, signed "Bryan,' but written by President
Wilson, was couched in terms OF force insufficient
to penetrate the Berlin intellect or else that gov
ernment chose to blind itself TO the meaning I'M
Piled President Wilson's note expressed horror.
a1nazernent and adherence of Gcrmany's crimes
on the high seas it rectcd specific instances and
1t expressed the confidence that the German gov
crnment would disavow them II went further
and enunciated-and here its approach to de-
mand or an ultimatum haltcd-that the imperial
German government will not expect the govern
ment OF the United States to omit any word or
any act necessary to the performance of its sacred
duty OF maintaining the rights OF the United,
States and its citizens and OF safeguarding their
Tree exercise and enjoyment
As The Herald pointed out at the time Our
otc, masterful in its presentation OF the facts in
ITS arralgnment, and in its summing up of the
ease against the off nder lacked force because it
carried not a hint OF what the penalty would
BE for failure to fully and frankly comply with our
demand that American lives and property be safe
guarded. Such declaration of our intentions
VAS amply justified by reason of the fact that
our former note, OF February last notifying Ger
many that She would be held to "strict accounta- !
'llity' for the destruction of American life and
property had been contcmptuously ignored on |
hree occasions before the sinking OF the Lusi- |
anla and the loss OF us American lives So Ger
many. having received warning and having
repeatedly ignored II with impunity, failed to
ecoGnlzc any greater force in the second be-
auSc 1t tailed to prescribe any penalty for crime
tt-repeated in defiance OF our original edict In
Berlin they refused to read between the lines:
ahcr they parsed the sentences OF President Viii
onS note and discovered technical invitation
D diplomatic exchange, and on this they based
heir reply.
IT Is scarcely conceivable that the German
cply is at all different from what President Viii
on expected Aside from the bubble and eva
ION, the subtcrfucc and deceit, it expIodes the
Hort to draw the United States into war. al
Tough the recent attack on the Ncbra skan would
dlcatc measure OF indifference in that respect
cyond that the reply reveals nothing and prom
eS nothing, seeking only to POSTPONE payment
the penalty for Ccrmany's infan1ies. As the con-
mined murderer seeks to escape the path 70 the
ectriC chair.
The issue comes back to President Wilson, r.
1t Is reasonable TO surmi>c from the reading OF
: note, he intended to submit the Iusitania "
agedy and the Gulght tragedy and the FaIaba
agedy and the Gushing attack to a prolonged :
plomatiC discussion he has not been disap-
'intcd. II he expected from Germany disa-
wal of these crimes and a guarantee OF the =
tety OF American lives and property in future Y
c German note Will compel realization OF the
Ct that the perfect English OF university Prcsi-
nj suffers previously in translation or that the
,rlln capacity for er>tandng-ntcntonallv
othcrwi>c-falls to grasp it, in which event f
viii have to try again.