New-York tribune., 1916-02-16
Neutral Rights Crushed
While We Kept Silent

We had a right TO be neutral, and we
vera neutral as 10 the quarrel between
Germany and France, but when as an
incident to the prosecution OF that
ouarrel Germany broke the law when
we were entitled 70 have preserved, and
which she had agreed with us TO pre-.
serve. we were entitled to be heard
In the assertion Of our own national
right.
with the right TO speak came re-
sponsibility. and with responsibility
came duty-duty Of government toward
all the peaceful men and women In
America not to acquiesce In the de,
struction of the law which protected
them, for II the world assents to this
great and signal violation Of the law
OF nations, then the law OF nations
no longer exists and We have no pro
lection save in subserviency or IN
force.
"And with the right TO speak there
came TO this, the greatest OF neutral
r nations, the greatest OF free democra-
cies, another duty TO the cause or ioer-
ty and justice for which America
stands; duty TO the ideals or America
past and the hopes OF her future
for this law was bulwark Of peace
and Justice to the world; it was
barrier 20 the spread OF war; It was
a safeguard 70 the independence and
liberty of oil small, weak states. II
marks the progress Of civilization. II
tho world consents TO its destruction
the world turns backward toward
sayagery, and Americas assent would
be Americas abandonment OF the mia
eiop of dennOcracy
No Word Of Objection.
yet the American Government ae-
ouiesced in the treatment OF Belgium
and the destruction Of the law OF ma
tions. Without one word Of objection
or dissent 20 the repudiatton OF law
or the breach Of our treaty or the viola"
tion of Justice and humanity in the
treatment OF Belgium. our govern ment
enjoined upon the people Of the United
States an undiscriminating and ALIEN
bracing neutrality, ard the President
admonished the people that they must
be neutral in all respects In act and
word and thought and sentiment.
ave were TO be not merely neutral
as to the quarrels of Europe. but
neutral as 20 the treatment of Bel
gium; neutral between right and
wrong; neutral between justice and
Injustice; neutral between humanity
and cruelty: neutral between liberty
and oppression. Our government did
more than acquiesce, for in the first
Lusitania note, with the unspeakable
horrors Of the conquest OF Belgium stlli
fresh in our minds, on The very day
after the report Of the Bryce Com
mission on Belgian Atrocities. 1t wrote
these words 20 the government OF Ger
many:
Recalling the humane ard en-
lightened attitude hitherto assumed
By the Imperial German Govern
ment in matters Of international
right, and particularly with regard
to the freedom Of the seas, having
learned TO recognize the German
views and the German influence in
the field of international obliga
tion an always engaged upon the
side Of Justice and humanity etc,
etc.
"And so the government OF the United
States appeared as approving the treat
meRt Of Belgium. II p,isrepresented
the people OF the United States IN that
acquiescence and apparent approval. Il
was not necessary that the United
States should so TO war In defence
of the violated law. A single Official
expression by the government Of the
United States, single sentence deny
ing assent and recording disapproval
OF what Germany did in Belgium. would
have given TO the people Of America
that leadership 70 which they were
entitled in their earnest groping for
the light.
at would have ranged behind Ameri-
can leadership the conscience and mo-
rality of the neutral world. IL would
have brought 10 American diplomacy
the respect and strength OF loyalty to a
great cause. But IL was not to be. The
American government failed to rise TO
the demands of The great occasion.
Gone were the old love of Justice; the
old passion for liberty; the old sympa-
thy with the oppressed; the old Ideals
of an America helping the world
toward better future; and there
remained In the eyes OF mankind only
solicitude for trade and profit and pros
perity and wealth.
THE American government could
not really have approved the treatment
OF Belgium. but under a mistaken poll
icy Il shrank from speaking the truth.
That vital error has carried into every
effort of our diplomacy the weakness
Of false position. Ever note Of re-
monstrance sgains. interference with
trade, or even against the destruction
OF life, has been projected against the
background Of an abandonment of the
principles for which America once
stood, and has been weakened by the
popular feeling among the peoples OF
Europe, whose hearts are lifted up by
the impulses OF patriotism and sacri-
flee, that America has become weak and
sordid