New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-19
Serve America First!

Generous ideas can bc Hduc OHO"P an"
odious if they are insucerely exploited
and pcrsistenuy misapplied. President
Wilson has done this disscrvice for certain
conceptions and phrases formerly held by
all of us in the highest esteem. lie has
made il impossible for most Americans to
hear public man talking about fighting
for mankind" or Serving humanity with
out feeling am uncomfortable reflex OF
ennui and revolt
At the annual meeting Of the Daughters
Of the American Revolution on Monday
Mr.. Wilson marshalod once more the old
catchwords about serving humanity first.
America" he said. evil. have forgotten
her traditions whenever upon any occa-
sion she fights merely for herself under
such circumstances as viii show that she
has forgotten TO fight for all mankind.
And the only excuse that America can
ever have for the assertion Of her physi-
cal force is that she asserts it in behalf
of the interests of humanity
Mr.. Wilson was not elected President
TO fight with a typewriter or otherwise)
the battles of humanity. lie was elected
to fight the battles of the United States
to protect American lives and American
propertv and TO secure respect everywhere
for American rights But the people of
this country long ago discovered that de-
voting himself to fighting the battles Of
humanity the arena of rhetoric-was
only an expcdicnt ON his part to escape
I trfft Of do
tending American interests in the rough
and-tumble of everyday life. 1t was only
another outcropping of that weakness in
his character which led him TO say at the
height of the Lustania crisis that there
was such thing as a nation being too
proud TO fight
What the President has failed to sec is
that the battles Of humanity can be fought,
so far as we are concerned. only 10y frs;
fighting the battles Of the United States.
Only by repclling attacks on our own
rights, by indicating justice and right
eousncss. so far as our own cause IS in
voved can VIC help along the cause Of
Righteousness. fairness and justice in the
rest of the world II we do not care enough
for our own people and our own interests 70
fight for them. we must cut a sorry figure
pretending TO act on the worlds stage as
the champion of humanity. Of universal
Justice and of international law.
When Vera Cruz was seized the Presi-
dent said that he had gone into Mexico
ito serve mankind That was carrying
literary symbolism into politics with
vengeance. The record showed that he
went into Mexico 10 secure a salute to the
United States flag insultcd 10y one of
General Huerta's subordinates at Tam
pico. He never got the salute. Nor did
he ever do the slightest service of any sort
in Mexico to what he calls humanity
lie did not serve Americans resident in
Mexico. or other foreign nationals there.
or the MeXicaus themselves He over
looked absolutely the immediate duties of
safeguarding the lives and property Of
our citizens and OF the citizens Of Eu-
ropean countries whose governments. re-
specting the implications of the Monroe
Doctrine. looked TO ours to exert some
definite pressure I'm behalf Of the main
tenance Of civil order in Mexico. Pretend
ing TO labor for the cause Of humanity IN
the abstract, he neglected all the practical
tasks by which results helpful 10 Ameri-
cans, and ultimately helpful 10 everybody
in Mexico. might have been achieved.
Everything that Mr. Wilson has done
there has resulted i'm harm, not good be
cause his programme has been, from start
to finish fantastic and Utopian.
1t is the same story with Germany. The
Administration has talked Of Serving hu-
mainly" Of standing forth as the plumcd
champion Of the neutral world But 1t
has not even been able 10 stop the murder
on She high seas Of its own citizens. II
has written notes, but has taken no meas
ures TO compel respect for its own argu-
nents.
Tad Mr.. Wilson meant anything by his
,ric about "omitting no word or act"
soel disayowal by Germany Of her
Of murder at sea, he would have
Congress in session the day he fin
his first Lusitania note. and would
e insisted on a vote Of $500. 600 for
military preparation. Il Is now nearly a
year since the Lusitania was torpcdoed
But we arc no better prepared now 20 back
up our demands than we were then. We
arc still fighting the battles Of humanity"
with nouns, verbs and adjcctives.
What Germany il interested TO know is
not whether we arc ready 20 90 on fighting
for mankind, but whether we are willing
to fight for our own rights, interests and
honor.
What appendices 20 attach 20 the latest
note TO Germany, America will have for
gotten her traditions whenever upon any
occasion She fights merely for hcrscN UNI
der such cIrolmstanco. q. VIII .how fhaf