New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-06

rife as TO the Presidents inner mind.
We are. Of course, surprised. TO ar
rive at settlement with America we
would do anything compatible WIN
honor. dccency and belhgerent ELL
cheney.
We deplore and loathe this friction
more than il is poss Bile for the ear
nestness o. words 20 express, but we
are not conscious Of moral guilt We
know We have not impaired American
prcgperity. Va have tried scrupu-
iously 20 cause no more inconvenience
10 neutrals than is necessary II the
Allies are 10 have any far chance IN
this war
We think that the principles con
tanned in the recent notes from WASH
ington enable Germany 20 have II both
WAYS. every scope OF sheer lawlessness
on land with every benefit Of strict
lcgalism on the sea, and mean q great
fighting advantage secured 90 berNn
through Washington a signal dlplo-
matte triumph won over the Allies by
Won Bernstortf through Mr. Lansing
America and Great Britain ought 10
do something 20 get out OF the I'M
broglio in which they find themselves.
II is difficult 10 know what 20 do. We
are bound 10 press the enemy TO the
utmost, and cannot cease, as we value
ali the conceptions of freedom, peace
and progress which we have IN com
mon with America, indeed all mat
makes national and private life worth
living.
Correspondents on your side tell us
that Mr. Lansing is now bound 10 per
severe IN the path he has entered upon
and that President Wilson IS bound by
his political position 10 seek "a dip
lomatic victory" over Germany and the
Allies alike. To us the two things
seem very different.
German Promises Worthless.
What are German promises worth in
z war begun with the arbitrary viola
ton Of a treaty supported by the prln-
chile Of Prussian statecraft, dating
from Frederick the Great, that no
promise or agreement Is binding If 1t
can be broken 10 advantage and with
impunity? As regards the Lusitania
murder in- the Atlantic. We believe we
have sufficiently suppressed II 10 MAKE
the game no longer worth the candle Tor
Germany. Otherwise the United States
would never have had any chance of OBJ
tanning satisfaction by merely diplo-
matte means. A regards the Atlantic,
that Gcrmanv's Remuneration would be
sacrifice. that is nothing but breath.
/ She would yield little in form and
nothing in substance. II = verbal state
/ ment OF disavowal and regret meant
/ that Washington would then put all
possible and practical pressure on the
/ Allies. even less expert fisherman
/ than Won Bernstorif would think 1t well
worth while 10 throw a sprat 10 eaten
mackerel.
As regards the Mediterranean area,
10 which effective submarine piracy
/ has recently been transferred, Things
might 20 on as before. All blame is
/ laid on the alleged Turkish submarines
auc Germany can have il ooth way
again.
Even if the blood guilt Of the Lusi-
tania is forgotten and forgiven on
such easy terms, why should Germany
positively thrive on crime and It's IKE
bv securing indirectly an increased
pressure of American diplomacy aga nst
the Allies? If the inner mind AT
Washington in reality is what weeks
disturbing messages depict, the direct
moral and practical effect viii be 70
weaken the Allies and strengthen the
Central Empires and the Turks. Yet
even German people are not free, as
both kindred nations OF Great ~ tam
and the United States are free. mat
fact IS one Of the main causes OF the
war. Why deny it? The German peo-
pie are in the grip of war lord and
n War caste. Politically they are seri-
Of war machine. Why should the
neutrality of the American Republic
become in effect the means OF nourlsn-
ing Kaiserism. Kruppism and extending
the Prussian franchise? That II VIII
not so operate we hope and trust, de-
spite the present warnings.
We on our part only ask fair held
and no favor We do not believe that
the irony of fate is going 20 make
President Wilson the best hope OF the
hagcard genius OF Teutonic despotism
I'm Europe. with the consequence that
political reaction will be perpetuated
by war
America and Great Britain must ana
will find the means 10 avoid beng SCI
lv the ears in such way as 10 mean
such diplomatic victory By berln
over both as might ravish the heart or
Niephistopheles, contemplating the
Glorious bankruptcy OF civilized states,
mrnship and the assured reign OF evll
throughout the world.