New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-16

and were yesterday numbering eur
II we succeed in persuading the Brit
ish TO modify the German blockade,
thing unthinkable. what shall we have
done9 First of all, we shall have riv-
eted upon Belgium the German yoke.
Pretending that we are acting in the
interests Of neutrals and in the name
of humanity, We shall have contributed
to making absolute the most outrage
Gus, the most indefensble violation of
neutral rights the world has ever
known. namely. the Belgian invasion.
If we could persuade Great Britain
and her allies to modify the British
blockade. conceivably we might win the
war for Germany. But to win the war
for Germany would be to establish the
monstrous Belgian crime, which was a
negation of all neutral rights and of all
humanity. This is the ultimate and
, logical result Of the new activity which
Mr. Wilson is about to undertake on
behalf of neutral rights.
Mr. Wilson's administration would
not even protest against the invasion Of
Belgium. which was the destruction Of
all the whole body of international law,
but now, as the price of n paper VIC
tory from Germany in the matter Of the
submarine operations, he is prepared,
he expects, to protest against the VIC
lation of details of international law
affecting property, because only by such
protests can he get his paper victory
at all. And this protest will be de
scribed as a championship OF humanity
and a vindication Of neutral rights.
The American government will not
make effective protest against the
= murder Of American citizens in Mex
leo 1t would not protest at all against
the assassination Of all international
law and all neutral rights In the case
! Of Belgium, but it will protest in most
vigorous language. !. viii enter a
course which may lead US 10 var with
Great Britain, over the question of
petty trade. simply because there Is d
purpose of domestic politics TO be
served BY the last case which was
lacking in the others.
Bernstorff Hated and Feared.
The fundamental sham and fallacy
of the whole thing is disclosed in the
Bernstorff incident Every last mes
senger boy in the State Department
knows what Bernstorff has been doing
in America since the war began. No
one mistakes his activities. He is at
once hated and feared by the Ameri-
cans and the State Department but he
cannot be disturbed, for reasons OF
German votes, and he cannot be sent
home now because the administration
needs that paper victory for its Ger
man policy.
The question that must be asked
with reference to our attack upon
Great Britain, which waits only Bern
storif's SCRAP of paper" TO begin, is
patent What is the United States TO
! make out of long, difficult and dan
gerous argument with Great Britain
over its blockade? The pretence is
that by such a campaign we shall win
dicate' neutral rights. But we have
not sought TO vindicate neutral rights
in the case Of Belgium. We have not
pretended TO defend international law
| in the most important case that has
! been raised; and with Germany we
have, in fact, merely been arguing over
the murder Of American citizens, not
/ the question Of rights at all. and in
/ accepting the last herman note we
dropped all pretence at maintaining
/ neutral rights.
Our dispute with Germany has been
( over the murder of American citizens;
our dispute with Great Britain arises
| from a difference which affects dollars
/ We shall have indicated no neutral
| rights when we get Germany to stop
] killing our citizens: we shall merely
have bought immunity fo- our nationals
BY promising TO play Germany's game
! with the Allies. But in playing Ger
many's game we shall play the game Of
! the nation which has sinned against
| the whole doctrine of humanity, which
is even more important than inter
national lew: of the country which has
repudiated international law. and what
ever assistance we give her will en-
able her TO maintain more easily her
policy Of subordinating law and hu-
manitv 70 German necessity
Allies Would Not Listen.
No one of the Allied powers fighting
with the Belgian atrocities before their
ewes. with the submarine crimes IN
,..;Ir r,r cipOle instant