New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-01
German Concessions" "

Norman AOIl[CSolOAlos
At moment when there is patent pros
pect Of a peaceful settlement of the dis
pute with Germany there is natural
desire 10 avoid discussion Of the sort
which provokes bitterness and bad feeling.
Yet there is one fact that every American
citizen should bear in mind now and here
after
Whatever policy Germany now adopts,
10 whatever lengths she may decide to 60
in repudiatng her earlier acts, she is max
ing no concessions" to the United States,
she is bestowing no favors, she is making
no sacrifice Of rights or privileges. She Is
merely foregoing practices which were llle-
gal and inhuman. She is simply abandon
ing policy of assassination.
II is mischievous and vicious idea that
certain Germanophile publications and per-
soma are now attempting to circulate, this
idea of concessions" Their object in cir
eulating it is plain. II Germany were
actually making concessions she would be
entitled to look for counterbalancing con-
ccssions from this country. This is what
German sympathizers are aiming At.
Let us keep the fact always before US
Germany asserted the right to murder
Americans. She exercised the alleged
right in the case of the Falaba, the Lusl-
tania and the Arabic. She exercised 1t
until she was faced with the alternative Of
abandoning it or of seeing the American
Ambassador at Berlin recalled and Bern
storF sent home.
If Germany has now decided to forego
her campaign of murder it is no more
concession than would be the similar deci-
sion Of a Black Hand operator who, faced
with the necessity of suffering the conse-
ouenccs Of his crimes or of conserving to
live under the law, elected to give up the
bomb and the knife for his own comfort
II is not to suit any purpose of the
United States that Germany has Yielded
if She has. i'm fact. as seems probable. 1t IS
not any right that she has surrendered. We
shall owe her nothing because she con-
seuts in let our women and children live
on the high seas. There is no favor here,
no Concession
The German submarine practices have
been an abomination. They were an offence
against common humanity and violated all
law and precedent. But to them Germany
clung until she was faced with the neces-
sitv of choosing between an open break
with the United States and reputation
of her system Of assassination. Then, ap-
parentlv. she decided that a break with
this country would be the more costly.
The single point at issue between the
limited States and Germany is that involv-
ing the lives of American citizens. Ger
many has murdered. and until recently IN
sisted on continuing to murder, Americans
travelling lawfully on the high seas. 1t IS
inconceivable that any American can re-
card a change now as a concession" AS
well might one regard the remuneration Of
crime by a leader of an East Side gang as
a concession TO society.
There is no occasion to assall the good
faith of German craftsmanship IN the
present case. 1t is idle to attempt to fore
cast what German purpose may be. 1t l.
possible that the purpose behind the pres
ent change Of tone and policy may rest
upon a real anxiety TO avoid an open break
with the United States. Until there IS
evidence to disprove this, there is no cause
for any attack upon German motives.
But let us not be deceived, taken IN
hoaxed by any German protestation or
plausible statements. If German yielding
10 American demands now be accepted as a
concession" then our whole case falls to
the ground. If the government Of the
Kaiser can "concede" the right of Amerl-
can citizens to life and safety at sea, when
they are entitled to life and safety-ther
tn, American Government has indeed be
come sorry thing and national honor a
mere phrase.
Let the Germans explain their change
in policy TO their own public as they choose
but let us understand clearly that what
they are doing is recognizing rights which
are not theirs TO confer or abbreviate-
abandoning anarchy 20 live under the Law
and doing it because they believe 1t il
more profitable for them, not because the,
like US or desire to serve us.
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