New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-17
Give Germany a Chance.

ministration has been debating with the
German government the right of German
submarines 10 murder American citizens
travelling upon unarmed belligerent ships
under the full protection Of international
law.
For four months the Wilson admins
tration has been arguing with Germany
over the actual murder Of more than
hundred American citizens sunk on the
Lusitania. These men, women and chill
dren sailed on British ship, having the
full guarantee Of the President Of the
United States and the assurance that If
Any attack were made upon them the as
sailant would be held to strict accounta-
bility by the President and the nation.
But while the President had publicly
and formally said this, the German gov
eminent was fully and correctly informed
by those who were able to speak for the
administration with authority that the
Presidents formal proclamation was
meaningless. No one in authority warned
the American citizens who took ship on the
Lusitania of this fact; only the German
propagandsts in this country, taking pity
on the ignorant victims, published notices
in the press of the fact. But the victims
believed that the words of the President
we're of more power than the warnings of
the German propagandists.
They were wrong and they went to their
deaths. Their deaths are just as charge
able 10 the Wilson administration as the
deaths of those American boys who wore
our uniform and went TO Vera Cruz in
obedience to executive order. The Lusita-
MIA victims were sacrificed because the ad-
rninistration had said what it did not mean
and had let the German government know
that it did not mean what it had said.
The Tribune has at all times been will
ing to support Democratic national ad-
ministration honestly and honorably de-
Tending American rights. It's own edi-
torial columns are the best proof of the
readiness it has manifested to drop every
partisan consideration in the case of Mr..
Wilson and the German affair.
But The Tribune is not prepared to
support any administration, Republican or
Democratic, in provoking wanton and
wicked war, wholly unnecessarily. 1t was
prepared to support policy which, hon
estly executed, brought war on the issue
that neutral lives should not be taken by
German submarines. 1t was willing to
see this country fight for the vindicaton
of international law and the ordinary
rules of humanity. But it is not now will
ing to see this country fight because Mr..
Wilson and his administration have so bum
gled the handling of the German affair
and so deserved the censure and contempt
Of the country that they can find no es-
cape now but to go TO war.
The Tribune views with intense suspi-
cion. the reports coming from the White
Hosse in the past two days insisting upon
the gravity of the present status of the
Gerruan-American difference. They do not
come from the President directly. The
Tribune knows the circumstances Of their
origia, and it believes it understands the
purpose. But II thinks that it would be a
shameful thing for this country to be in
volveds in war to save the shattered
prestige Of the administration.
The situation with Germany is not
nearly as grave as it has been at any
time since the first American note was
sent. 1t is not as grave because for tho
first time the German Ambassador and
the German government have real reason
for believing that there is an actual deter.
u1ination in this country to establish Ger.
tain rights. The German Ambassador
knows this, because he knows that the
moral, though not the physical, control OF
the situation has passed from the hands
Of hitherto timid administration, abso-
'rtely un der the domination of domestic
politicians, to those Of the people, who
are solicitous for American honor, not for
any campaign results.
And the German Ambassador has indi-
Gated an appreciation of this fact by all
that he hasAsaid and done since the pub