New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-27
ENOUGH OF FRIENDLY RELATIONS"
An Official Fiction No Longer Founded RyNow the Time to Act
Courageously Prepared for Sacrifices if War Must Come
Only One Way Win Back the Words Respect

and ships bills Of ladng. fomentipg strikes
In factories and on docks, blowing up fac
tories burning down towns placing bombs on
shIps-all Of which have involved the destruc-
tion Of American lives and property.
OF course, the German government has Of
icially repudiated the plotters, following the
rules Of their Book of Military Instruction
but the tens Of millions of dollars which the
United States Secret Service reports to be al
the disposal Of German intrguers proves the
statement of the German government to be d
lie. When We realize that only few days
ago the confidential report on the actual con
dition of the United States navy and its
munitions reached the German Attache Boy
Ed before It reached President Wilson, the
breaking point has certainly arrived.
President Wilson has started legal authori-
ties in pursuit of some of the plotters, but
his chief complaint is that the laws are not
adequate to punish these criminals. Why
does he not strike at the root of this or
ganization and hand passports to Bernstorf
and his whole crew of forgers, incendiarieS
and assassns and TO the Austrian Embassy
and the consulates of both nations? Let all
who are ashamed of the temporizing strad-
ding policy of the President organize and
demand that he break off diplomatic rela-
tons at once. Then let the American nation
notify the Teuton nations that We are ut
terly opposed to their autocratic and de-
spotic militarism, to their way of aggression
10 their atrocities, their barbarism and their
crimes in Europe and in America, AMI that
we purpose to use all the forces at our COM
mainland they are ample-first, TO stamp
out the treacherous war which the Teutons
are conducting against US In the United
States; second, TO protect 70 the uttermost
American lives and honor abroad; third, TO
repudate and cast out all attempts at the
Germanizing In any form of these United
States, and, fourth, to reiterate our unalter-
able stand for liberty, democracy and human
rights.
1t is clearly our moral duty TO throw the
weight Of our powerful, wealthy and idealis-
tic nation against the Teutons with the
avowed object of destroying German miitar
ism. If by any chance there should be a
German victory or even an indecisiye result
il is certain that the United States as the
representative of democracy would have a
life and death struggle within a few years
against Germany as the representative OF
autocracy. More alarming in some way, than
the actual barbarities, because deeper seated
is the absence of shame or moral feeling in
the German nation. Their philosophers and
professors unite with their militarists and
chancellors in praising the rule of might and
proclaim that they intend TO dominate the
world by force. Even so easy going and
pacific nation as the United States is here
put upon notice that sooner or later she will
have TO fight for her life.
The aspect OF the world has changed since
August 1914, by the revelation Of the in
famous Teuton aims, and this generation of
Americans, which grew up with the idea that
war was n bygone matter. will have 20 read
just their ideas 70 meet the German men
ace. Washington's principle OF keeping out
Of entangling alliances was wise in his time,
but we cannot now avoid commercial, fnan-
cial and other close alliances with civilized
nations, and the sound policy for defence
as vel. "a offence is 20 form a close alliance
with the nations Of conscience and honor.
England, France and their allies. After the
war this may entail responsibility and ey-
pense in doing our share IN policing the
world. but in such League TO Enforce
Peace" formed of nations which are con.
trolled by moral ideas, lies the hope Of the
worlds safety and peace.
Let US act with courage born OF the leep-
est convictions and accept the sacrifices that
war would entail II war should come. Only
by so acting can we hope to win back the re-
speet of the world and. what is more vital
our self-respect. In any national crisis there
has never been any lack Of American men
who for their country are more than willing
to pledge their lives, their fortunes and
their sacred honor"
RICHARD NJ HUED.
New York, Dee. %, 1915