New-York tribune., 1915-07-14
CONGRESS MUST ACT
Time for the President to Invite Its
Cooperation.
70 The Editor of The tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The German memorandum tends to
the fact that President Wilson thus far has
been justified in the avoidance Of war wiia
Germany. However, the present stage Of the
negotiations imperatively demands the sum-
moning Of Congress in extraordinary session
to consider "the state Of the Union our for
eicn relations and such other business as may
be necessary during the session. The time
has now arrived for the legislative branch Of
The government to assume its share Of the
responsibility with the executive branch. The
certain avoidance Of war is even yet possible.
The avoidance Of war will however, de-
mand a heavy sacrifice by the business M
tgrests of this country even without an en-
barge on arms and munitions Of war. Il will
also deleteriously affect the future Of the
An erican merchant marine. IL is now m
cun.bent upon Congress 70 develop conere"
policy for the preservation Of our neutrality
- or its abrogation; and it is the par; OF the
executive branch Of the government 20 ps'
in operation the mandates Of Congress
OF the seventeen articles in -he German
memorandum, dated at Berlin July s, the
Fourth to the seventh, inclusive, are sound
Justice. and therefore unanswerab.e. las
eighth article is principii prncpis IN CON-
mon parlance, begging the question: Ger
many Is not justified in lis hasrar; violations
Of international law, or the principles Of a9'
mcnity on account of any such violations on
the part of its adversaries. This fact as
Ia
with. The following is the Objectionable a.
ticle:
"8. With all its efforts in principle 70 pro-
tect neutral life and property from damage
as much as possible. the German government
recognized unreseredly in its memorandum
of February that the interests Of neut'a'
might suffer from the submarine warfare
However, the American government VIII asV
understand and appreciate tha, 10 me nsN
for existence which has been forced up9n
Germany by its adyersaries and announced "
them it is the sacred duty Of the impel'
government TO do all within It's power 70 pro-
tect and save the lives Of German s1o!s'@
II the imperial government were dere.Ic. y
these. its duties, it would be guilty oeio''
God and history Of the violation Of those Pr'H.
foundation of every national existence. =
The ninth article IS utterly irdetens'oe'
is bold statement Of murder AMI piracy ~
the high seas, which ha no validity IN .,
civilized national ethical code. The ioAo""'
is the ninth article: A
80. The case Of the Lus.tania shows W.
horrible ciearness TO what JeopardiL'Hs
human lives the manner Of conducting
employed by our adversaries leads. 10 ~, ~
most direct contradiction Of information" "a
all distinctions between merchantmen
war vessels have been obliterated Dy voc
der TO British merchantmen 70 arm 'Hs
selves and TO ram submarines, and Ihe p'S,
ise of rewards therefor, and neutras "HV
merchantmen as travellers thereby nave ~ -.
exposed in an increasing degree 20 d"
dangers Of war"
The eleventh article is the one origh' 80
Of hope whereby the present into.erao's -.
d.tions may be adjusted IL is phrasea 'n -.
facile language Of true diplomacy u" d.
muinder of the memorandum Is exFressTa,
the most part, in a ponderous ana
| style. ,,.
/ Congress must now be the arbiter Of 20,
or war; the Federal Executive can no Us -,
assume the responsibility that i' ho' \,
|corstitutonal therefore Congress mus. nus,
summoned at once in extraordinary 80,
/ Tie negotiations have arrived at tha' 80,
/ wneu the ! .'~ral Executive can ohly
| the acts OF Congress. ..,r,N
ALBERT SAMUEL NoON'
] New YORK July TO- 1918