New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-22
Observations Appropriate to the
Birthday of Great American.

snxieties and international difficulties, the ami
versary Of the birth Of George Washington must
supply a needed stimulus to patriotic thinking
n a fresh examination Of the meaning OF the
American idea and the real mission of the Amer
ican people.
II was natural, II was perhaps inevitable, that
NJ the outset of the world war the people Of the
United States should permit their sympathies to
follow one side or the other of the great battle
line which now divides a continent and think IN
terms OF partisanship rather than of neutrality
In the wider sense II is impossible for men
or women 10 be neutral IN the presence of human
strife and international conflict. We are bound
70 applaud the French, condemn the Germans,
approve the Russians, criticise the British as our
several inclinations and associations lead
Thus II has been that to degree almost IN
suspected in past months the interest and the
sympathy of the people of our own country have
been enlisted in the cause of foreign nations, and
this has caused forgetfulness of the Ameri-
can aspect, the American concern, the American
point Of view In the present world crisis.
For all Of this the recent diplomatic exchanges
between our own government and Great Britain
and Germany must already have supplied nat
ural and wholesome corrective In the same
fashion the overheated and purblind enthusiasm
Of certain bearers, selfappointed bearers, of the
hyphen has furnished a warning nationwide
Nothing is more natural than that the British,
facing the first great contest since Napoleon
sailed for St Helena, the first challenge Of their
sea supremacy since Trafalgar, should look hope
fully out across the storm-beateI Atlantic TO the
shores settled by people Of their own race popu-
lated by those who still speak their tongue, pre-
serve their common law and retain much Of their
great tradition.
Equally applicable is the fact that the German
people, now assailed by land and sea by storm
which is grinding up the seed corn Of their race
should turn also from hostile Europe TO neu
trail America, wherein dwell millions of German
descent, who have contributed much to the max
ing of the Republic and TO the preservation Of the
union of states.
To us Americans these appeals will have 8
meaning varying as our own individual sympa
thles and traditions vary. But the time has come
has perhaps passed-when Engishman and
German certainly, but Americans equally, must
realize that our allegiance, our obligation, our
duty lies first, absolutely, to our own nation
\ which. against its will seems TO be drawn little
nearer month by month to the edge Of the ever
widening crater of the war volcano.
In 1851 II was the American, the North anc
South, from their differing battle front across
the Potomac and the Rapidan, which sought the
support, the aid of Europe. Rightly, properly
Europe, France England, Russia consulted theil
own national interests, not ours; kept the peace
at home and declined to send their sons to die fol
an American cause, an alien issue.
To-day our own position must be the same
The Response of our own government, its deter
mination TO hold the balance Of neutrality tru
between the contestants, is wise, honorable TIL
\ only possible course of a government charged
with the protection Of the happiness and the well
being Of millions OF It's citizens
But the hands Of the government should b
upheld by a people who are not led by momen
tary emotions, transient anger, TO forget that TO
us all. for the world itself, il Is most vital tina
the United States should pursue its own work
fulfil its own mission, resist 10 the uttermoct al
effort 70 draw it as a partisan of one of the com
batants into the battle line Of Europe
To think, 70 feel, TO talk as Americans, to rec
| ognixe that for US American interests and Amer
lean rights are Of primary, Of exclusive impor
Atsnce-this is the first duty IN the present crisis
sympathy, charity, all that can be done under tn
Red Cross or tho White, In Belgium or Poland
/ In East Prussia or Northern France, 70 mitigat
suffering, save the helpless--this should be done
= But nothing more.
In the face Of an international crisis we shal
serve no cause, least Of all our own, il we ar
not faithful 70 ourselves. our traditions; II W
do not place our own country as high in our owl
scale as the citizens Of Europe now fghtni
place theirs.
OF the perils OF entangng alliances, neglec
of American interests. disregard Of the Father
land, the words spoken by Washington more thar
q century ago remain living warning He wa
IA great American, whose example has new fore
j and meaning on the present anniversary.