New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-27
BECK ANSWERS
SCHFF ON PEACE
u. S. Not Humanity's Trus-
tee, Says Ex-Assistant
Attorney General
NON-COMBATANTS
RIGHTS NEGLECTED
Disastrous to Civilization
for War to End in Draw,
He Asserts

the League to Enforce Peace last FIJI
day night. in which SehiiI urged the
United States to exercise its right as
a trustee Of the interests OF human
ity" and intervene for peace in the Eu-
ropean struggle.
In n statement Mr.. Beck. former AS
sistant Attorney General OF the United
States. contrsdicts the general premise
in the Jewish leaders address ana
also denies several of the minor state
ments contained therein
In the first place, the lawyer says
the United States can be regarded as
a trustee OF the interests Of human
ity" by no one. except, perhaps. the
present Administration.
"lf America has acted as trustee
Of the interests Of humanity in the
last two years" he writes. "then J.
should like Mr.. Schif or any one who
thinks with him TO point out in what
respect. individuals have done much
but what has the government done?
at is true that our government did
at first. with some vigor and subso-
ouently with an ever increasing dimin-
vendo. attempt 70 vindicate by idle
words the rights Of non-combatants
upon the high seas, but even this
contention. which gradually became
through its insincere inefectiveness a
subject Of ridicule throughout the
world. gradually diminished into
feeble suggestion that at least the lives
OF American citizens should be spared
and even that small remnant OF our
moral protest was altogether eXtln-
euished when. with the tacit approval
Of our government. German submarines
some weeks ago compelled American
women and children on fifteen minutes
notice to embark on the high seas
sixty miles from our mainland and
made our own wsrships accessories
after the fact.
Silent on other 0utrsges
AS to all the other outrages upon
humanity committed within the last
two wears. America. through the supine
weakness of its government. has been
consistently silent as a political entity,
and II we are to regard ourselves as
trustee for humanity, let us beware
that the court of last resort Of poster
itv may not hereafter regard US IN this
crisis as a faithless trustee"
Mr.. Beck also disagrees with Mr..
Schif in his assertion that we should
step between the belligerents, whether
they desire il or not, and try TO force
peace upon them.
Germany, he asserts, has already
forfeited all respect that she has eve"
held for US. and would use our ohlces
only as a catspaw for her own ends.
The Entente Allies are certain OF uli-
mate victory, and any move on our
part TO rob them of that would DESTROY
whatever friendship they still retain
for the United States.
It would also be the most disastrous
thing possible for civilization, MI:
Beck believes, if this war were TO enc
in a draw. II would mean revolution
in most of the countries Of Europe,
and the immediate resumption OF hos
tilities as soon as one of the belllger-
ents regained its strength.
The former Assistant Attorney Cen
eral contradcts the statement of Mr..
Schif which alleges that some Ameri-
cans Cannot forgive the President for
having thus far succeeded in keeping
us out Of war"
Why Wilson Was Criticised
I'VE have criticised the President"
Mr. Beck says. mot so much for keep
ing US out of war as for failing to
voice the moral protest of the Amerl-
can people against the most wanton
outrages upon humanity.
For instance, our government knew
last spring, from its own representa-
tives, that women and girls of Lille,
RoubaiX and other occupied towns
were being torn from their homes and
condemned to a degrading peonage by
being worked as slaves in the harvest
fields, under the conquerors' bayonets.
But neither in that instance, nor when
Edith Cavell was shot, did our govern
ment make any protest whatever, al
though il had expressly taken these
English. French and Belgian non-com-
batants under its especial protection.
What is il doing now TO stop the en-
forced slavery of the brave Belgian
people,"
In conclusion, Mr.. Beck voiced this
opinion:
"If there be any prospect OF just
and durable peace, Independent Of the
growing military power of the Allies.
it can only be in two possibilities:
zone. that the great American Re-
public will accept its share Of the CON-
mon burdens of a distracted civiliza-
ton by cooperating by deeds and not
by words only TO vindicate the majesty
of international law.
"Thc other-that there may be born
out Of this awful travail the Repubi,
OF Germany. II could be one of the
noblest republics of the world, and as
such it would be welcomed, despite
all present bitterness, into the full
fellowship OF the free nations. That
would probably mean just and dur
able peace"