The Washington herald., 1915-02-03
Plotting Against Our Neutrality.

f1SouSI Ou1 1NCul1
Fortunate it is for the people of the nation that
its destinies are in the keeping of men of peace.
While Europe is being devastated and civilization
appalled, by the unspeakable horrors of the great
est conflict in history, President Wilson and his
advisers continue to concentrate their wisdom
and unite their energies in a steadfast endeavor
TO maintain for the United States an exact ncu-
trality and to keep the war from the Western
Hemisphere Their success up to the present
time has been complete, and the people have
evinced their gratitude in unstnted measure.
Within the past two weeks, however, it has
become apparent that the administration has been
called upon to resist organized movement, of
magnitude that cannot yet be measured, to un-
dermine in divers and devious ways the hitherto
timpregnable structure of its neutrality Powerful
pro-German influences have been put to work,
organizations have been formed that have invaded
the halls of Congress, certain newspapers have
been induced suddenly to reverse their editorial
policy, and all with the object of betraying Con-
gress, the President, or his Secretary of State into
the commission of unneutral acts, imperiling this
country's cordial relations with Great Britain
France, Russia, or Japan. Persistent efforts have
been made to induce this government to dispute
the well-established right of search at by bel
igerents, to prohibit exports to the allies, and to
purchase from German corporations merchant
ships that could otherwise yield them no revenue
while the war lasts the allies maintain their
ocean supremacy There has been nothing spon-
taneous in this effort to involve the United States
in the quarrel that is rending Europe. On the
contrary, there is every evidence that it is the
result of the deliberate plan of organization
with unlimited resources that enable it to make
its influence felt in high places
Washington officials are, of course, not in
ignorance of the origin of the attempts to in
fuence the governments foreign policy A Mr..
Maurice Leon, of New York, recently wrote to
President Wilson, calling his attention to an or
ganzed attempt to enlist the aid and sympathy
OF Americans in public and private life in behalf
OF one of the nations at war. This nation he re-
Trained from naming, though obviously he re-
ferred to Germany, since the silence and mac
tivity OF the representatives of the allies and the
sympathizers with their cause in this country have
been the subject of frequent comment. Being
forewarned. the administration is more than ever
its guard, and the subtle attack upon its neu-
trality can only meet with failure.
But the pro-German campaign does not stop
with attempts to destroy the neutral position of
the government of the United States. 1t seeks to
arouse public sentiment against Great Britain by
accusing her statesmen OF sinister motives and de-
signs; it seeks to create in this country suspicion
and apprehension among diplomats, own
officials, and those citizens with affiliations in
Continental Europe, concerning the effect upon
the future of the alliance of Great Britain, France,
and Russia, and their treaty to make peace they
make war, as one it seeks by misrepresentation
and fabrication to fomcnt a quarrel among the
allies
This campaign has been successful only in so
Jar as it has enlisted the aid OF few newspapers
and some reputable and patriotic American cti-
That these latter have been deceived and
mslcd need not be asserted. They will be de-
serters when the sordid motives that inspire the
company they arc in arc fully revealed. 1t is not
to be believed, however, that newspapers are be-
ing used as catspaws An overnight reversal of
editorial policy with regard to the European war
and foreign relations is not brought about by
persuasive oratory. Newspapers that have lent
themselves to this vast and audacious pro-Gcrman
campaign proceeded with their eyes, at least,
wide open.
Official and resident Washington has been
regaled with the amazing spectacle OF a morning
newspaper, which formerly maintained neutral
attitude on the subject OF the war, suddenly de-
voting its entire energies to advocacy OF the Ger
man cause. This newspaper was an early and
vigorous opponent of the ship-purchasc bill, but
became in the short space OF a few days one of
its frcnzicd advocates, hcsitating to invite the
international quarrel which it fOrcboded. Its swift
change OF policy was the subject OF comment in
the Senate in the course of Senator Gallinger's
speech. Within the past few days it devoted half
its first page to a largc-typc presentation OF an
adroitly constructed article, reprinted from New
York paper of the day before Was it the pur-
pose OF this article to build the IMPRESSION upon
Shadowy foundation, that Russia and Great Brit
ain at the breaking point, and that Russia is
preparing to make separate peace with Germany?
If it is the German hope thus to create sentiment
in favor of the renewal of peace suggestions by
this government, it is futile. The President and
his advisers know the real situation and they will
know when the time arrives for the tender of our
good Offices.
None the less the whole propaganda is mis-
chievious, and its furtherance in this country is
conducive to disturbance OF the serenity of our
national existence and the unrest of the people
1t is un-American, unpatriotic and utterly to be
condemned.
An Act of War in Canada?