New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-15
"WATCHFUL WAITING"
A Policy Which Allows Too Much
Freedom to Sharks and BuzZards.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: On the editorial page Of THE Houston
Post" few days ago saw reproduced yOLr
editorial in which you made it so plain that
our duty in time Of stress is first TO our eoun'
try and secondsrily to party.
This impressed me as one OF the nobea
newspaper expressions that have ever seen
in print. II strikes with resonant cearne's
the patriotic chord 10 which the people should
tearken and join in the chorus. 1t IS Pc
culiarly forcible coming from a famous ard
time -honored journal which has, with unde.
Wt'ing fidelity, fought the cause OF It's party.
1t is true that, according to our government
al system, our President is amenable TO crit
icism and his acts are subject to scrutiny
but at such time as this, when there is even
a suspicion of conflict, it Is meet that IN thls
country, is the case with other natlons'"e
should hold that our Chief Of State Is wl'h'
out blame, and ascribe errors, II errors nave
existed or do exist, TO the faulty advice OF MS
counsellors.
Acting on this noble principle without re-
ferr,ng TO our able President in person. oO'
rather 10 the government in the abstract "
is possible TO point out why It is that thef'
exists "A well defined opinion all over ~
country that little more action and lit"s
less negotiation would have made American
lives more sacred in the sight Of the nati0T'
of the world. We have been so careful no.
TO do anything until we could be sure "n''
would happen as a result OF our acton W'.
the policy has resulted in a loss Of nation''
prestige.
Why should we be so solicitous ABOUT Wv
Mexican or German humanity when is "'V"'
ing US? All other nations look out f0T ''''
PEOPLE first, and il is reasonable ana fe''
essential for the stability of our nation '-'.
we should make it go hard with th0ss
hurt our people. Has it come 10 such P''.
that the loss of American lives when Amei."
is at peace may be atoned for by hesv.s
tors? Our watchful waiting has aniO.' =,
to nothing, but the watchtul waiting =,
sharks in the ocean and the ouZZaTdS VI
Mexican plains has been at the expense
Am, rcan flesh and blood Again We
aiken the stand that We are America "a
.he Monroe Doctrine we have STOOD IN vi
the world as the cock OF the walk :,
then, should we call in smaller roos'es
decide for us what we should deciae W.
selves? ..,
believe that the men OF the United So ~,
will valiantly uphold the government - !,
niteG States in whatever It undertake
do toward increasing the prestige ana o'sa
of our great country. But men are o-D. 30,
to feel they are doing something ~heH tays
realize that their brothers and sisters
been unjustly attacked and ruthlessY -,
need they must be moving. Therefore -,
waver when there is long delay Oh ...
part OF those who are conducting nego'S"s.,,
man who would otherwise be suPP'' "A.
becomes critic. How can | stop .h' "A
vance of a man who does not move an
the witty King Louis. In the case "he,e .ri
and blood has been sacrificed unjusu' "a,
continues TO be sacrificed, how can -
,aliantly uphold a government when Nv
seems TO be merely lying down eon''0' -.
and celebrating with great ease anu.oT
ness? SCUDDAf RlO HAM t,.,,.
Blue Domed House Of the One Flhs' nv
ton, Tex. Aug. 9. 1915.