Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-04-27

converted by circumstances into open par |
TALLY. is something which may prove the !
very deterrent of hostile or unfriendly /
acts on the part of German submarine |
commanders. |
To compel the United States to discard |
neutrality and make common cause WITH |
the entente nations would then suspend |
commercial relations, render treaties in |
operative, impair the value of German in |
vestments in the United States, and make |
available resources of unparalleled mag
nitude to the foes Of Germany. Germany |
would surely not court such disaster
EFFECTS WOULD BE LARGELY
MORAL
PROFESSIONALLY, the significance of dis
continuing diplomatic relations would be
chiefly moral. That would be it's cndur-
ing effect. The United States would be In
The position Of having outawed a great
government with whom throughout his
tory she had been on terms of peace and
amity. The fundamental cause of the
Withdrawal by America Of her recognition
or the existence of a German government
in the world would he the latter's dsro-
gard of international law and the higher
laws of humanity. deemed prerequisites
always to international morality. Tho
| United States would not recognize the
| German government as in existence any
! more than it did the harbarc and ire
sponsibc rule of one Huerta or his So
called government. Diplomatcally their
status would be on a par
| At best, the action is but an expression
of dissatisfaction. disapprobaton, a pro-
nounced disgust with the attitude and
conduct of another government. Nor
would diplomatic Citations he resumed UNI
| til rcparation and complete adjustment.
tof pending controversies were assured
This would hardly he possible during the
tendency Of the European war. After
that it might take years to reach an Lr-
lderstandirg. during all Of which tine
the diplomatic relations of Great Britain
and Germany might. for example, he re-
newed. while Americas diplomatic atti
tude toward Germany remained unchang
ed.
POSSIBLE BEARING on PEACE Ne
GOTIATIONS.
Just what effect the action might have
on the making Of peace in Europe is also
a question pertinent. President Wilson
would be sacrihcilg all opportunity -
play the role of go-act'vccn in pence par
leys. He does not dare, however, to con-
suit such personal aluremeuts. Such II
part as Roosevelt played in the Ports
mouth conference might come in handy
for Mr. Wilson's political needs. but it
seems highly probable that Europe's war
will not even approach an end in time to
permit the Presidents possible part in
its closing scenes to react on the Amer
lean electorate this year. Possibly, Ger
. mo, hD .aI Nv oIt1f l.
tion to stay his hand. Possihy-and prob
ahly-Mr Wilson has already dismiss
ed that from his mind. not necessarily be-
cause he could expect no political edvan-
tage this year anyway, but for reasons
of undoulted sincerity. one must pre-
, suppose utter political and moral dehase-
ment to conceive of a president allowing
such considerations to cloud his vision cf
duty and destiny. We have not had that
3, sort of men in the White House How
| ever adroit our presidents may seem in
domestic politics. they are guided by
higher impulses in dealing with interna-
, tional affairs.
T. The one great result OF the severance
$ Of diplomatic relations. then. would 10
psychological German Americans hith"r
to protesting sympathics with Germany
= in her contest with other European hei
k | ligerents, would find Il necessary FOL
: comfort of mind, if not other things, Il
II be circumspcct in speech and act
would bring sadness and genuine sorrow
to many. There are those, indeed. WI
have prayed sincerely from the start tina
. they might not he forced to choose n
,f between Germany and America, knowin
,. full we'll that in the final emergency thel
adopted country must win the preference
- Neutrals inclined to hesitate as betwee
~ the entente allies and the central pow
ers might think they saw Americas re
sources already made available to the en-
emies OF Germany, and would be guide
, accordingly. There Is no end of moral
S. possibilities.
- For America, after all, there would b
d the disappointment in losing friend,
II. friend caught In madness uneXplainabl'
is a friend for whom there can be onv tn
"a pity tkat goes out to derelict That
a why so many officials in the United state
= government do not believe a break !
40 diplomatic relations will come. They stl
il, rely On the reCuporatiVe genius Of III
% German people, their sense of equity an
Justice when once the case is presente
in openly, plainly, and emphatically to appl
a. the brakes to government folly and reel
ic lessness.