New-York tribune., 1916-04-26
No Compromise.


70 discriminate between fact and illu-
sion. if he is at last awake to things
sc thew are. the latest turn in our German
relations must be instructive
For eighteen months and more nc has
been dealing with Germany in something
Of the fashion Of well intentoned ard
nearsirhted gentleman who persists in ad-
dressing a man-cating tiger as poor
pussy" with occasional changes under
pressure Of untoward circumstances 10
naughty kitty
The result has been about what was TO
be expected. The tigers appetite has no'
been injured and his method OF feeding
hardly improved. But now. under press
ure of circumstances, because Of political
enxieties. because he at last has his eyes
open, Mr. Wilson has addressed TO the
German Government an ultimatum. and.
what is more important. succeeded in con
vincing Berlin that Washington is at least
approximately in earnest.
The result is plain. Berlin is already
talking OF concessions and compromise.
The tiger has seen n fire and has decided
to modify temporarily and materially his
habit of prowl and feeding. Germany Is
now going to give up somcthing-but we
are TO have only a compromise.
Now. it is possible to compromise most
disputes between nations and between indi-
viduals-boundary questions. trade ques-
tions. Most tangles yield 10 good will and
mutual forbearance. But neither between
nations nor between individuals can there
be compromise on murder. You can'' com
promise on permitting Germany to kill
only one woman and child month instead
OF twenty. There is no compromise. be
cause the value of ono life is beyond all
compromise.
But the essence Of our dispute with
Germany is that she has asserted the right
to murder. She has asserted it by word
and by deed. She has proclaimed to the
whole world that there are no laws where
German interests are at stake and that
no nations and no individuals have rights
when to abrogate them serves German
purposes
Accordingly. half the civilized world has
gone out TO the trenches. II has not gone
because it loves war or hates Germans as
human beings. II has gone because there
is nothing else to do. It will stay there,
not until Germany is crushed, Berlin occu-
pied, Germany reduced to fractions; but it
will stay there until Germany renounccs
the claim to abrogate the rights Of nations,
OF men and women and children, when it
chooses and for its own ends.
Our dispute with Germany is not differ
cnt. II Germany insists on the right to
drown and main our women and children
as well as our men. sailing the seas as
they have a right 10 do. we shall ultimate
ly 20 to war with Germany and add our
manhood TO that Of other nations now
fighting. We shall not do it because We
have hate, or passion, or anger; because
We desire TO injurc Germany or Germans.
VIC shall do it because there is nothing
else 10 do.
II is foolish and vicious thing 10
argue that break in relations Will not
mean war. II Germany continues TO mur-
der Americans we shall infallibly 20 10
war with Germany. and the only possible
way 20 avoid war is TO persuade Germany
that this is true II may not work. Ger
many may no, care. She may prefer 10
do with the submarine what she did with
Belgium-to hack through and take the
consequences But If she docs, then there
il no hope any way.
The fundamental vice Of Mr. Wilson,
policy has been that he has failed 20 per
ceive that, as you can't argue with man
eating tiger or calm the beasts passions
by pretty words, precisely in the same
way you can't permanently avoid fighting
country that believes il has right 10
murder your women your children and
your men whenever IT finds prof, Tor it,
self in doing this.
We cant keep the peace with Germany
we never could and We never shall be
able 70 do IT, We shall join those who arc