The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-05
IN THE CASE OF BELGIUM.
Legal as Distinct From Moral Reasons
for Protest.

Legal rs Distinct From Moral Reasons
for Protest.
To THE EDITOR OF THE suN-Sir: In
THE Sun of December 30 Mr.. Dodge
and Mr.. Kenny assail Mr.. Pallen for
his assertion that the United States
should have protested against the VIOLA
ton of Belgian neutrality. Mr.. Kenny
asks what the United States Ms a
nation should have done hat It did
not do" n MIR. Dodge asks where
did we get the right to protest?" The
United States participated, and took a
prominent part. In the peace confer
ences ut The Hague. which had for their
object the amelioration of International
relations In peace and in war. One OF
the conventions adopted by no confer
encc was an affirmation of the existing
principle OF international law holding
the territory Of "a neutral inviolable by
"A belligerent. To this convention both
Germany and the United States SUBJ
scribed. as did all the other great ma
tons. Our delegates insisted on y gen.
eral pr0viso that III adherence to the
conventions should not be understood
as "A departure from our settled policy
of non-interference In European affairs.
The United States has been foremost
"'iohk atOn III Suppicuieutlib uto
work OF The Hague by arbitration troa-
ties. We have worked In all sincerity
for peaceful fair dealing between ma
tons. and the Instruments with which
We have worked rave been treaties and
conventions.
The war started, and Germany began
her part in 1t by tearing up a treaty
and violating = Hague convention. THE
SUN, as Mr., Kenny says, has shown
that the United States was bound nei-
Their by treaty nor by law to intervene
in Belgium" Granted. But legal obli-
cation TO intervene is a very different
thing from moral obligation to protest.
A nation. though living strictly by the
letter OF all It's legal obligations, may
gain contempt by defaulting in its mora
obligations. Was there any moral obli-
CATION in this case?
II is the American idea that the re-
lations nations should ~ far as
possible be governed by "A cod of ethics
similar to that which rules the dealings
of upright Individuals. Now suppose a
group of individuals, In a community
lacking a police force, get together for
the common good and subscribe to n
certain code which Ii to be observed
even when a fight arises. Also suppose
one Of the most powerful individuals has
been foremost in formulating the code
and preaching it's principles. but. being
peacefully Inclined. insists on adding a
proViso that in signing the code he Is
not binding himself to join in any fight
mat may arse. FINALLY, suppose a iignt
starts. and one party, in clear violation
of the code, bruially assaults an inno-
cent bystander who Is In the way. while
all the weaker b~ystauders turn To the
powerful indiNlduai before mentioned to
see what he VIII say in defence of the
principles wtLch he has consistently
preached
Ut unat indiNluual, instead or protest
INF, hdu turned 10 tho offender and as
sur'd hlm ar ms own 'full neutrality
IN Thought ms In act could one blame
tho oihrr ~btlllgerents for their soorn or
th' "ther h~!standcrs Tor their hcartsick
disappointment
We were NOT h"uhd 10 intervene, but
we were bound 10 utter a ringing pro-
test, not IN h.half OF Belgium, but in
behalf or the principles which We had
ilaue our own ana throu8h which We
were STRIVING 10 MAKE 'he world better.
me poli'ical relations OF Germany and
Belgium were a European arair. but the
prlicli"" I" the ihNloIanlnty OF neu-
'r"I territory WAS "A matter III when We
We're Vita'iy Interested Codes Ike the
hague conventions are not a mere
'n'e OF 'tiluettc TO use MT. itoots
p'f'se' r"ies "hirh any ono shouio De
at uo'r'y 10 otush aslde' H. "heh inc
'ooo IS III perm or us NE one of the
most powerful OF the subs'ribers IS TOO
NtIr'es" 81 Ms "hilSdt"ns or too cow
ard'y 10 raise MS voice In It's defence.
WA ms presence be desired or MS voice
h'ird WIN respect "hen MS cosubscrib-
CTS meet again 10 restore ana afIlpnfy
lie u"ihdBtd CODE
WILSON, by ms Sllcucs at 4 CRITICAL
,lIllc "i'did IN" worn or years America
''ts I"sl i'f stihdlhs IN the eyes or the
"vr'u' i'Npr,ssiorS in the press are