New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-22
Opinions of Various Readers on

TIC the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: Admitting the force of your recent
discovery that Mr. Wilson has greatly de-
ctived and secretly rn.-represcnted the citi-
zens Of this country in his dealings with
Germany and Is therefore co-responsioie
with them for the present tension, there ye'
remains to be explained for what purpose
Germany initiated her policy Of batting Amer
lea. Your series Of nble analyses from WASH
ington show us only why she did not deslst
after we officially told her 70. The submarine
atrocities, however, are only one phase OF inc
situation. Is II not conceivable that all this
is part and parcel OF one greater plan con
ceivod in the fall or winter of 1914 and set
going visiby with the announcement OF the
war zone blockade in February?
To US who depend on the newspapers for
our data il seemed that a new attitude toward
this country arose and became manifest about
this time Since then it has been consist
emily, persistently, coming out from the mist
to take shape as a definite entity whose form
and purpose we can perhaps. begin to dis
Germ.
Il is to be supposed that il the diplomats
of the Central Empires had the true measure
of Mr.. Wilson's dual purpose and knew that
America herself did not have it, and then
deliberately proceeded to their course of &C
ton, disregarding our official communica-
lions, they must have foreseen clearly the
final result They must have known they
we're sitting on keg Of powder attached to
a slow fuse. The fuse was lighted by the
"strict accountability" note; the powder was
public Indignation in America. At any time
they could have put out the fuse had they so
desired or had it been worth while as part o.
their plan. That they did not put it out is
chargeabe only to diplomatic failure or TO
deliberate, purposeful, long sighted policy.
In matters diplomatic apparent failure may
mark actual success. To the man in the
street who had read the rainbow papers OF
diplomatic Europe preceding the declarations
OF war it seems barely possible that the dis
credited ENJOYS of the Teuton may In reality
have made the sacrifice hits which will bring
in the run they are working for. All we see
at present is that they have been put out.
Hypothesis become accepted theories when
they explain the phenomena observed and are
not contradicted by existing facts which they
fail 70 explain The Teutonic ambassadors
are successful if they accomplish the purpose
Of their mission, whether or not they retain
their stations in the doing. Dernburg was
not fool and Dumba is the most expert
enced man in European diplomacy. Would
they be guilty of getting caught violating
the rudiments Of their profess ion if not with
deliberate intention?
Assume for the moment that the Teutonic
alliance, which is Germany, desires 20 engage
US in the conflict. In the light of her ma
ntruvres, as shown by her correspondence as
printed in the various Red, White and Blue
books, how would she go about it Her diplo-
macy. boiled down, is the essence of the art
of "pinning 1t on the other fellow" If she
wants us 20 enter the war she also wants us
70 do the declaring thereof. To make a man
or nation tight where there is no desire to
fight and yet to appear not to pick a quarrel
calls for fnesse. Always abe must annoy and
insult while loudly protesting herself the in
jured innocent. No one act must be sufficient
70 declare her guilty in the eyes of the world
Each act is important mainly in the light of
what has gone before, when each act is justi-
fed, explained away or apologized for When
patience is finally exhausted and the gage
thrown down the real aggressor appears the
agerieved and wronged II is difficult, it is
slow, but il is sure, and il is Teutonic.
If this be not her plan, how else may we
explain the consistency OF her "blunders"
which have come through the medium Of so
many of her representatives-von Tirpitz,
Dernburg, Dumba, Won Bernstorff, Papen,
Ridder, Viereck, Van Horne, Muenter and
the rest? II this is her aim, is she not play
ing her hand with remarkable acumen? Ev-
cry act in the submarine drama, every insult,
every aggravation and every delay OF her
acknowledged representatives and her unac-
krowledged hirelings here and abroad dove