The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1916-04-20
weak sgainst the aggression Of the


world was to remain silent upon that,
neutral upon that, then all talk about
peace and justice and international law
and the rights Of man, the progress OF
humanity and the spread Of liberty is
idle patter, mere weak .sentimentallty;
then opinion Is powerless and brute
force rules and will rule the world. II
no difference Is recognized between
right and wrong then there are no
moral standards. There come times In
the lives Of nations as OF men when to
treat wrong as II It were right II trea-
son TO the right.
The Wrong Done 20 Belgium.
The American people were entitled
not merely to feel. but to speak con-
cernlng the wrong done 10 Belgium
Il was not like Interference In the In
ternal affairs Of Mexico or any other
nation, for this was an international
wrong. The law protecting Belgium
which was violated was our law and
the law Of every other civilized coun-
try. That law was the protection Of
our peace and security. It was our
safeguard against the necessity Of
maintaining great armnments and
wasting our substance In continual
readiness for war Moreover. that law
was written into solemn and formal
convention, signed and ratified by Ger.
many and Belgium and France and the
United States In which those other
countries agreed with us that the law
should be observed.
There wns no question here OF inter
fcring In the quarrcls OF Europe. We
had right 20 be neutral, and we were
neutral as 20 the quarrel between Ger
many and France, but when as an In
cidcnt TO the prosecution or that
quarrel Germany broke the law which
we were entitled 20 have preserved
and which she Ind agreed with us to
preserve we were entitled 10 be heard
in the assertion OF our own national
right.
Neutral between Right and Wronsl
Yet the American government nc
qulcsccd In the treatment OF Belgium
aud the destruction OF the law OF ma
tions. Without one word OF objection
or dissent 70 the rcpudlation OF law
or the breach OF our treaty or the vlo'
latlon OF Justice and humanity IN the
treatment of Belgium our government
cnjolncd upon the pcoplc OF tho United
States an undlscrimlnating and all en-.
braclng neutrality. and the president
4 lmonlshcd the people that they must
0 neutral I'm all respects IN act and
L ,,,A
we're TO be not merely neutral as TO the
quarrcls OF Europe. but neutral ns to
the treatment OF Belgium, neutral be-
tween right and wrong. neutral be.
tween justice and injustice. neutral be.
tween humanity and cruelty, neutral
between liberty and oppression. Our
government did moro than acquiesce.
for In the fFst Lusitania note. with the
unspcnknble horrors OF the conquest
OF Belgium stIll fresh IN our minds, on
the very day after the report OF tho
Bryce commission on Belgian ntroci'
ties. II wrote these words 20 the gov
ernment OF Germany:
Recalling the humane and enlightened
attitude hitherto assumed by tho imperial
German government IN matters OF inter
national right and particularly with re-
gard 10 the freedom OF the seas. having
learned 20 recognize the German Views
and the German influence IN the field OF
international obligation as always engaged
upon tho side OF justice and humanity. etc
And so the government OF the United
stateJ appeared as approving the treat.
ment OF Belgium. II misrepresented
the people OF the United States I'm that
acqulescence and apparent approval.
II was not necessary that the United
States should 20 70 war In defense
OF the violated law. A single official
expression by the government OF the
United states. n single sentence deny
Ing assent and recording disapproval
OF what Germany did IN Belgium,
would have given 20 the people OF
America that leadership 10 which they
were entitled In their earnest cropping
for tho Hight. II would have ranged
behind American leadership the con-
science and morality OF the neutral
world.
IL was not 20 be- The American
government failed TO rise TO the de.
mands OF the great occasion. Gone
were the old love OF justice, the old
passion for liberty. the old sympathy
with the oppressed. the old ideals OF
an America helping the world toward
a better future. and there remained I'm
the eyes OF mankind only solicitude for
trade and pront and prosperity.
shrank From the Truth.
The American government could not
really have approved the treatment OF
Belgium, but under a mistaken policy
II shrapk from speaking the truth.
Such policies as have described are
doubly dangerous In their effect upon
foreign nations and In their effect at
home. II is a matter OF universal ex-
perience that weak and apprehensive
treatment OF foreign affairs invites en-
oroachments upon rights and leads TO
situations In which It 10 difficult to
prevent war. while frm and frank
policy at the outset prevents dificult