The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1916-04-06
Shaking Fist and Finger.

macy mas IOSt lIS uUIuoIllI anu llHu'
encc because we have been brave In
words and irreSOlute in action. Men
may say that the words Of our diplo-
matte notes were Justified; men may
say that our inactiOn was justified, but
no man can say that both were wise
and CrcditablC.
have said that this government lost
the moral forces Of the world by not
truly interpreting the spirit OF the
American democracy.
The American democracy stands for
something more than beef and cotton
and grain and manufactures; stands
for something that cannot be measured
by rates Of exchange and does not rise
or fall with the balance Of trade. The
American people, informed by their
own experience that Is confirmed by
their observation Of international life,
have come TO see that the Independence
of nations, the liberty Of their peoples,
justice and humanity cannot be main
tanned upon the CUmplaiSanCe, the good
nature, the kindly feeling Of the strong
toward the weak: that real indepcnd-
CncC, real liberty, cannot rest upon Suf-
ferancc; that peace and liberty can be
preserved only by the authority and
observance Of rules of national con
duct founded upon the principles of
justice and humanity; only by the cs.
tabllShmcmt Of law among nations, re
sponsiyc to the enlightened public opin'
ion Of mankind. TO them liberty
means not liberty for themselves alone,
but for all who are oppressed. Justice
means not justice for themselves
alone. but shield for all who are
weak against the aggression Of the
strong.
To this people the Invasion Of Bel,
gium brought shock of amGZCmCnt
and horror. II the public opinion OF the
world was TO remain silent upon that.
neutral upon that, then all talk about
rcacc and justice ana International law
and the rights Of man, the progress Of
humanity aud tie spread Of liberty Is
Idle pattcr, mere weak scntTmcntality;
then opinion is pOwcrleSs aud 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 rs of men when to
treat wrong us IL It We're 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
ccrning the wrong done to Belgium
II was not like Interference in the in
ternal affairs Of Mexico or any other
nation. for this Syas an international
wrong. The law protecting Belgium
which was violated was our law and
the law " 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 armamonts 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 Uf inter
L., tL, of l'nrAtA Wn
had right to he neutral, and we were
neutral as to the quarrel between Ger
many and France, but when rs an in
cldcnt 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 he heard
| in the assertion Of our own national
right
Neutral Between Right and Wrong!
Yet the American government ac-
| quiesced in the treatment of Belgium
and the destruction Of the law of ma
tions. Without one word of objection
or dissent TO the reputation of law
or the breach of our treaty or the vio-
| latiOn Of justice and humanity in the
| treatment Of Belgium our government
enioincd upon the people of the Initcl
States an undiscrimiuating and all en-
bracing neutrality, and the president
admonishcd the people that they must
he neutral In all respects In act and
word and thought and sentiment We
were to be not merely neutral rs to the
quarrels Of Europe, but neutral as to
the treatment Of Belgium, neutral be-
tween right and wrong, neutral be-
tween justice and injustice, neutral he.
| tween humanity and cruelty, neutral
between liberty and oppression. Our
government did more than acquiescc,
for In the first Lusitania note. with the
unspeakable horrors Of the conquest
Of Belgium still fresh in our minds, on
the very day after the report Of the
Bryce commission on Belgian atroci-
ties. 1t wrote these words to the gov
ernment Of Germany:
Recalling the humane and enlightened
attitude hitherto assumed by the imperial
| German government In matters OF inter-
national right and particularly with re-
gard to the freedom Of the seas, having
learned to recognize the German Views
and the German influence In the field OF
international obligation as always engaged
upon the side OF Justice and humanity, etc.
And so the government of the United
States appeared as approving the treat