The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-03-24
weak against the aggression Of the

10 this people the invasion or Bel |
GUM brought shock of amazement
and horror. If the public opinion Of the
world was to remain silent upon that,
neutral upon that, then oil 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 sentimentality;
then opinion is INwerless and brute
force rules and will rule the world. If
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 IL 1t were right is trea-
son to the right
The Wrong Done to Belgium.
The American people were entitled
| not merely to feel. but to speak con-
| corning the wrong done to Belgium.
1t 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. 1t was our
safeguard against the necessity Of
maintaining great ornaments 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 was no question here Of inter-
fering in the quarrels of Europe. We
had a right to be neutral. and we were
neutral as to the quarrel between Ger
many and France, but when as an In
cident to the prosecution of that
quarrel Germany broke the law which
we were entitled to have preserved
and which she had agreed with us to
preserve we were entitled to be heard
in the assertion of our own national
right.
Neutral Between Right and Wrongl
Yet the American government ac-
quiesced in the treatment of Belgium
and the destruction of the law of ma
lions. Without one word of objection
! or dissent to the Reputation OF law
or the breach of our treaty or the vic,
lation of justice and humanity in the
treatment of Belgium our government
enjoined upon the people of the United
States an undiscriminating and all EN-
bracing neutrality, and the president
admonished the people that they mus
be neutral in all respects in act and
word and thought and sentiment. We
were to be not merely neutral as to the
quarrels of Europe, but neutral as tt
the treatment of Belgium, neutral be
tween right and wrong. neutral be
tween justice and injustice. neutral be
tween humanity and cruelty, neutra
between liberty and oppression. Gu
/ government did more than acquiesce
{ for in the first Lusitania note. with tn
, unspeakable horrors Of the conques
of Belgium still fresh in our minds, o.
, the very day after the report Of tn
, Bryce commission on Belgian atrocl
= ties, it wrote these words to the gov
r eminent Of Germany:
Recalling the humane and enlightene
| attitude hitherto assumed by the imperis
:, German government in matters Of intel
national right and particularly with n
r | gard to the freedom Of the seas havin
r learned to recognize the German view
and the German influence in the field
international obligation as always engage
q upon the side of justice and humanity. ct
n And so the, government Of the Unite
It States appeared as approving the trea
e ment of Belgium. 1t misrepresente
a the people of the United States in thu
n acquiescence and apparent approve
It was not necessary that the Unite
e States should go to war In defens
IS of the violated law. A single offici
E. expression by the government OF tt
e United States, single sentence den
.e ing assent and recording disapprov
le of what Germany did in BelgiuI
e. would have given to the people
le America that leadership to which thu
Is were entitled in their earnest gropir
In for the light. 1t would have rang
re behind American leadership the CO
ID science and morality Of the neutr
world.
It was not to be. The Americ,
government failed to rise to the d
~ mands Of the great occasion. Co
y. were the old love of justice, the
y passion for liberty, the old sympatl
" with the oppressed. the old ideals
u an America helping the world iowa
I'D n better future. and there remained
en- the eyes Of mankind only solicitude I
10 trade and profit and prosperity.
y. shrank From the Truth.
~ The American government could Z
~ really have approved the treatment
-, Belgium, but under mistaken poll
=. II shrank from speaking the truth.
~, Such policies as have described Q
Nv doubly dangerous in their effect up
foreign nations and in their effect
w. home. II is a matter OF universal
w perience that weak and apprehensi
lus treatment of foreign affairs invites I
eu croachments upon rights and leads
lse situations In which 1t Is difficult
ne preyent war, while a firm and fra