Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1916-05-18
.sroe Proud 70 Flaht."

dent In Y public speech III fhilaueiphla
The fourth day after the sinking OF
the Lusitania that - man may be too
proud tn light" Whatever the Aus
trian ambassador was IN fact told by
the secretary of state. the impression
which he reported was supported by
the events which followed. Whatever
the president did mean. his declaration.
made In public at that solemn time,
amid the horror and mourning Of all
our people owe the murder Of their
children. was accepted the world over
as presenting the attitude Of the Amer.
lean government toward the protection
Of the life and liberty Of American
citizens In the exercise Of their Just
rights, and throughout the world the
phrase '.toO proud to hight" became a
byword Of dertsiOn and contempt for
the government Of the United States.
Later, IN another theater Of the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and perhaps
Turkey also. resumed the practice.
The .Ancona and then the Persia were
destroyed, and more Americans were
killed. Why should they not resume
the practice? They had learned IL be.
iieve that, no matter how shocked the
American government might be. It's
resolution would expend itself IN
words. They had learned to believe
that 1t was safe to kill Americans. and
the world believed with them.
Shaking Fist and Finger.
No man should draw a pistol who
dares not shoot. The government that
shakes Its list first and its finger after
ward falls into contempt. Our diplu
macy has lost Its authority and inhu'
elce because We have been brave III
words and i~rresolute In action. Men
may say that the words OF our diplo
matte notes We're justified: nell may
say that our inactiOn was Justified. but
no man can say that both were wise
aud creditable.
have said that this government lost
the moral forces Of the world by not
truly interpreting the spirit OF the
American democracy.
The American democracy stands for
something more than beef and cotton
ami grain and manufactures: stands
for something that cannot he measured
by rates Of exchange and does not rise
or fall with the balance Of trade. The
American people. informed by their
own experience that IL confirmed by
their observation Of international life,
have come to see that the Independence
of nations. the liberty Of tts'ir peoples.
Justice aud humanity ann be main
tanned upon the cOmplaisance. the good
nature, the kindly feeling Of the strong
toward the weak: that real %independ.
encs, real liberty. cannot rest upon suf-
ferance; that peace and liberty can be
preserved only by the authority and
observance OF rules Of national ron
duct founded upon the principles OF
justice and humanity: only by the e..
adjustment Of law among nations, re-
sponsive to the enlightened public opin-
ion of mankind. To them liberty
means not liberty for themselves alone.
but for all who are oppressed. Justice
means not justice for themselves
alone. but a shield for all who are
weak against the aggression OF tho
strong.
To this people the Invasion Of Bel
GUM brought a shock OF amazenlent
and horror. II the public opinion Of the
world was to remain silent upon that,
neutral upon that. then all talk about
peace and justice and International law
and the rights Of man, the progress OF
humanity and the spread Of liberty 10
idle patter. mere weak sentimentalty;
then opinion Is powerless and brute
force rules and will rule the world. II
no difference IL recognized between
right and wrong then there are no
moral standards. There come times In
the lives Of nations as Of NEIL when to
treat wrong as If 1t were right Is trea-
ron to the right.
The Wrong Done to Belgium.
The American people were entitled
not merely to feel, but to speak con-
cerning the wrong done to Belgium.
1t was not like interference In the In
ternal affairs Of Mexico or any other
nation. for this was an international
wrong. The law protecting Belgium
which was violated was law and
the law VI every other civilized coun.
try. That law was the protection OF
our peace and security. 1t was our
safeguard against the necessity OF
maintaining great ornaments and
wasting our substance In continual
readiness for war. Moreover, that law
was written into a solemn and formal
convention, signed and ratified by Ger.
many and Belgium and France and the
United States In which those other
countries agreed with us that the law
should he observed.
There was no question here OF inter
fering In the quarrels Of Europe. Wa
had a right to he neutral, and We were
neutral as to the quarrel between Ger
many and France, but when as an IN
cident to the prosecution Of thai
quarrel Germany broke the law which
We were entitled to have preserved
and which she had agreed with us ia
preserve we were entitled to be heard
IN the assertion OF our OWE national
right.
Neutral Between Right and Wronol
Yet the American government &C
quiesced In the treatment OF Belgium
and the destruction Of the law OF ma
lions. Without one word OF. objection
or dissent to the reputation Of law
or the breach Of our treaty or the VITO
lation of justice and humanity in the
treatment Of Belgium our government,
enjoined upon the people Of the United
States an undiscriminating and all EN-
braclng neutrality, and the president
admOnished the people that they mus