New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-08
A Dishonoring Proposal.

70 gather about the Lusitania negotiations
10 disguise or cover the essentially shame
ful character of the German proposal now
nm the hands of our own government.
4 deliberate effort has been made in 40
ministration circles 20 give the imp ession
that the remaining difficulties are solely Of
q verbal character and that the question
of words is not one Of vital import. Ger
tainlv no American desires TO go to war
or to run the risk of war merely because
Of a difference which is purely one OF
words. But this is not in the least the
situation.
What the German proposal. supposing 1t
has been correctly reported. actually
means is that Germany shall escape the
fulflment Of two of the three demands
made bv the United States Government
after the Lusitania Massacre and that
there shall be no vindication Of interna~
;jonal law as a sequel 20 Germany CRIME.
The facts are perfectly simple to under
stand once the unessentiai details are re-
moved. 4 year ago the Germans pro
claimed a submarine programme which mad
no standing in international law and was
justified solely on the ground that II was
a reprisal called forth by other illegal acts
of the British. To this the United States
RESPONDED with a warning that II could not
recognize this programme so far as 1t IN
vaded American rights and would hold
Germany to strict accountability should
Americans suffer injury as result OF the
illegal campaign.
Last May more than a hundred Ameri-
cans were murdered by the Germans. pur-
suant TO their submarine policy. The crime
was without justification and deliberate
defiance % the American warning % the
previous February. Thereupon the United
States made upon Germany three demands
Two essential. one incidental. We asked
that Germany abandon the policy OF sub
marine assassination. We asked that she
specifically dsavow the Lusitania crime
and we asked that she pay the usual IN
IDENTITIES due because of her injury to-
American citizens.
For many months Germany ignored ali
orr demands. Finally, when British sea
power had made submarine warfare IN
northern waters Improbable, she agreed,
not as a matter Of right, but as matter
of favor. to refrain from illegal subma-
rine operations. She did not make this
concession until she had murdered more
Americans in other submarine attacks,
and she did not and has not consented TO
recognize international law.
As 10 The second American demand she
now proffers this solution. She viii not
disavow the Iusitania crime. She Will not
acknowledge the violation of law incident
to sinking a passenger steamer without
warning. But she will regret the loss Of
American lives and declare that there was
no intent on her part TO kill citizens Of the
United States.
What does this mean? Just this: gun
man shooting into house of an enemy
and killing the tenant. not the owner,
whose life he sought. would naturally re-
cret thc accident and willingly acknowl-
edge that he had not intended TO Stay the
tenant But would this in any way JUS
tify the crime? Under municipal as con
trasted with international law, would the
murderer escape punishment? Of course
not. whether the owner or the tenant was
his victim
Now, the whole purpose Of American
diplomacy. so far as it could have a pur-
pose. the purpose asserted by Mr.. Wilson
when he told the British Government in
his last note TO il that the United States
willingly assumed the task Of defending
he rights Of neutras and humanity, was
10 establish the right of neutral to travel
on a belligerent passenger ship without
peril TO life or limb.
This was a neutral right. Il was there
fore an American right It was right
under international law. Any infringe
ment of that right was an act Of war un-
less it was disavowcd. and the pursuit Of
such a course would become a policy Of
war. All this was clearly perceived AT
home and abroad from the beginning
But Germany has steadily refused and
still refuses TO face this situation. She is
willing. as favor to the United States
10 desist from further operations. with a
frank reservation. frequently voiced by
Rernstortr. that she may later resume her
freedom if the United States does not act
against Great Britain as Germany desires
She is prepared to regret the death Of
Americans on the Lusitania. and 70 say
that she never had any intent or desire 70
Kill them-leaving the clear implication
nat if they had remained off the British
shin they would not have been killed The
question of indemnity is not vital and re
ooires no discussion, but even in tins re-
,pect Germany has made her readiness TO
pay appear as an act of grace not SUD
mission 10 justice
I'll Ii Al. l. L., h. 90 l.nrrtn an