The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-05-09
THE GOVERNMENT AND THE WAR
A Reply to Mr. Roosevelt

By the Editor of the North American
Review.
copyrighted. REPRINTED from the North American
Review by Special Permission
Conspicuous among the attributes OF
our present Chief Magistrate, as We have
remarked upon occasion, is a rare fore
sight distinguished by considerations or
prudence with respect TO his own person.
al prerogatives in coming years. 1t is
without surprise, therefore. that we hear
from the White House" that Mr.. Wilson
does not accord with those of his parti-
sans who resnt, unbecoming. criticism
of the administration by his living prede-
cessors Even if all shall go WELL not 50
very many years will elapse before he,
too, will sit upon the judgment seat:
and if by chance all should so ill, that
unhappy day is distressingly close at
hand: for. be it noted. from the moment
a President is renominated he becomes a
Save of political eNpediency. at least Tor
a time. Then if the verdict be BILE
he reapts the reward of the good and
faithful servant. hut if ii be unfarorab BILE
he resumes his position. in the consolins
words of Benjamin Franklin, among
the masters
It matters little. therefore, whether
the Presidents Interpretation Of the
single-term declaration made at Balti-
more conforms with that of its author.
the contingency still remains. Clearly,
Mr.. Wilson could not have applied the
restriction of etiquette to the utterances
of MIR Roosevelt and Mr.. Taft without
causing misgiving with respect to himself
the leading forwardlooking man of
the country.
And he did well. We shall never have
too many ex-Presidents ready and will
ing to speak from their abundance Of
In point of fact, it happens les; seldom
than might be supposed that the cou,l-
try awaits with ill-concealed impatienc.
the passing of a ruler INTO the ranks
of the critical unemployed, upon the
theory. of course. that his talents are
better adapted to service in IT." latt y
capacity. quite recent instance is IN
mind. Deeply. too. al of us wfo are
not engaged in business Of one kind ~
another might regret the voluntary "r
involuntary withdrawal Of our present
thief Magistrate from official occupation.
none can deny the advantages which
would accrue to an inexperienced Fres-
lent from the militant Americanism. the
nspirItne philosophy. and the soph'st-
,ateG righteousness of his immediate
predecessors The tendency. then, ii
our ex-Presidents to speak their minds
freell is one to he encoura Ced. and we
welcome the recent outsivinss of Mr..
Roosevelt. regardless OF lnelT cfdl 10
tic fanfaronade.
Nonpartisan Discussion.
Not that We agree with him-except
as certain phases Of our govern
nents attitude toward bleeding Mexico.
which is not now under consideration
FAR from il But yield to none in
.espect for and admiration of Mr.. Roose-
velts distinctively American spirit and We
.eadIly acquit him of any suspicion Of
craftsmanship in dealing with matters in
,olvin. patriotism. That he is. in fact
as he declares, straight United States"
nobody would think of questioning; hut
20 are We; and so. can he easily DEM
onstrated in this instance. Mr.. Roose-
Welt to the contrary notWlthSta ndlng, is
President Wilson.
Mr. Roosevelt says in the Metropolitan:
The United States thanks to Messrs.
Wilson and Bryan. has signally failed
IN its duty toward Belgium. We had
pledged our support to the international
agreements of The Hague. which eXplI-
ritly guaranteed Belgium against the
very type of disaster which first befell
/ and against the hideous wronGdoing
which followed upon this initial disaster:
nut with a timid Sinking of duty which
7as brought dshonor upon this nation.
he administration failed to utter one
word in behalf of these violated agree
nentS 10 WnlCh the natloh ndd peen
oarty.
Thanks to the administration. the
-nited States has been faithless to its
iutv and has lost the chance to gain
moral asCendency that would have been
powerful influence for the best in
:erests Of humanity. When this, the
most powerful of the neutral nations
which had signed the conventions of The
Hague. failed to protest against their
ioIo II OppOrtunitv
o take an effective stand for pace and
against lawless International violence.
To Judge by their actions. President
Wilson and Mr.. Bryan have believed that
hei conduct in preserving tame and
:ni ,tIcss neutrality would somehow put
hem in a lofty position.
They have VOCiferated high sounding
,larit,ldcs about peace and morality in
he abstract. while not venturing to say
me word about the violations of The
Hague conventions by Germany at the
Expense of Belgium.
Neutral and NeutraIiz~d.
This is severe-almost a savage
Indictment: but is it warranted? What
are the facts? in common. We assume,
With his friend, Mr.. st. Loe Strachey.
md other English puhcists whose ut
ORANGES We have quoted. Mr.. Roosevelt
vases his animadversions upon the
yrOund that II was ana perhaps sun If
he duty of our government to protest |
against the action of the German military |
'orces ~ in invading Belgium. t2) in
cropping bombs from aircraft. ~ in de- |
,troving historic monuments. "a in hom- |
,ardine seacoast towns. (s> in using dunn |
ium bullets and 80 in planting contact |
mines in the high seas. Now let us |
consider these performances. as hearing |
lpon our own national obligations under |
International law ard usage. in turn: |
J. Invading Belgium:
In considering the invasion Of Belgium |
should he pointed out that there ia
distinction between neutralized states
md neutral states. or that the neutral
~ of the two classes is essentially diff
erent in purpose and founded upon diff
erent principles.
The neutrality Of neutral states is
natter of conventional agreement be-
ween powers who are more or less in
crested in preventing the state from he
ng absorbed politically by any power. or
rom becoming a base Of military opera
ions or from otherwise assisting neigh
>oring rival states. The agreement i'm
,oses a condition of permanent neutral
" II is in fact. guarantee not only
" the neutralized state that il will not
.nEace in aggressive warfare. but also
" the other parties TO the treaty that
I shall not be attacked by any of them.