New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-22
BY GEORGE TRUMBULL LADD.

The present relations of the United
States and Germany arc the logical out
come and almost inevitable result Of
the policies followed by the two coun-
tries since the beginning of the war.
The policy of Germany has been the
ruthless pursuit of its own ends by all
possible means Of diplomacy and armed
force without regard to Hague conven-
tions, international law, the usages of
civilized nations or considerations of
humanity.
This policy follows from it's theory of
government, and it has been carried
out in practice with astonishing eff
hciency.
The policy of the United States gov
eminent and its people may be de-
scribed as that of waiting, but watch
full, neutrality.
When the more active campaign of
mining and torpedoing began the Pres
ident entered upon a series of polite
and automatically worded protests
He fixed the goal Of those protests
quite clearly in the first one. This he
did by saying that the continuation of
such means of warfare might involve
serious consequences affecting the
friendly relations Of the United States
and Germany, and he called upon Ger
many in the interests Of those relations
to modify its course and TO conform
more closely TO the usages of war as
hitherto adopted by civilized nations
and jas dictated by considerations of
humanity.
he followed this first protest by two
protests of a milder and more fatter-
ing character until finally, after the
horror of the sinking of the Lusitania,
he sent the note of protest which could
not have been regarded by any of the
nations, whether neutral or belligerent,
as otherwise than a sort of ultimatum.
At this the Secretary of State himself
jumped out Of the boat and did his
best TO oyerturn it, but the people up
held the President
With the procedure of Germany ever
since this last note, and especially as
II has eliminated in its sinking of the
Arabic, we have our answer, and there
can be little doubt in the minds of
those who understand Germany that
the answer is its final answer and that
it intends by torpedoing ships right
and left, whether of belligerent or
neutral nations, that are carrying con-
traband of war or not, TO fulfil the re-
ported promise of the Emperor that
Germany shall enjoy conquered feast
before the end of the year.
What, then, should be the course of
conduct TO be followed by the govern
ment and people Of the United States Z?
IL would seem that no less than this
could be considered either dignifed or
safe in the eye OF our people and of
the civilized world: If Germany does
not in the briefest reasonable time dis
avOw the action of its own officials in
the sinking of the Lusitania and Arabic.
possible and abandon this feature Of
its policy all diplomatic intercourse
should cease at once.
In this way We should say to Ger
many and the world 1--WE can no
longer be on terms of even apparent
friendliness with a nation which in its
treatment of our citizens as well as of
other nom belligerents is so disregard
full of international law and so incon-
siderate of the dictates of humanity
in a word so barbarous."
1t might then remain for Germany to
say how she would choose to resent
this breaking off of diplomatic rela-
tions. But even if it were followed bv
the result which we should all greatly
deplore and earnestly desire to avoid.
it seems to me shameful that we should
confess beforehand to ourselves as a
nation that we are incapable of the
strength and self-sacrifice which the
issue would require.