Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1916-05-18

international Obligation a. always engaged
upon the side OF justice and humanity. stc'
Aud so the government Of the United
States appeared ~ approving the treat,
meut Of Belgium. 1t misrepressnted
the people Of the United states III mat
acquiescencs and apparent approval.
1t WAS not necessary that the United
States should go to war IN defense
OF the violated law. A single onclai
expression by the government OF the
United States, Il single sentence deny.
INK assent and recording d~isapproVal
Of what Germany did In Belgium,
would have given to the people OF
America that leadership TO which they
were entitled IN their earnest groping
for the light. 1t would have ranged
behind American leadership the ron
science aud morality 0r the neutral
world.
1t was not to be. The American
government failed 10 rise to the de-
mands Of the great occasion. Gone
were the old love Of Justice. the Old
passion for liberty, the old sympathy
with the oppressed, the old ideals OF
an America helping the world toward
a better future, and there remained III
the eyes Of mankind only sOlicituds r0
trade and proht and prosperity.
Shrank From the Truth.
The American government could not
really have approved the treatment OF
Belgium. but under Il mistaken policy
II shrank from speaking the truth.
Such p~olicles rs | have described are
doubly dangerous IN their effect upon
foreign nations and In their effect ut
home. 1t Is II matter Ut universal ex-
perience that II weak aud apprehensive
treatment OF foreign affairs Invites ell.
croachments upon rights and leads to
situations In which 1t Is difficult to
policy at the outset prevents difficult
| situations from arising and tends most
strongly to preserve peace. On the
other hand. II II government Is to be
strong In Its diplomacy lis " PEG
pie must he ranged In Its support by
leadership of opinion IN a national
cause worthy to awaken their phtrt-
otism and devotion.
We have not been following the path
Of peace. We have been blindly STUN
bling along the road that continued
will lead to Inevitable war.
When our government failed to tell
the truth about Belgium 1t lost the
opportunity for leadership Of the moral
sense OF the American people and It
lost the power which a knowledge OF
| that leadership and II sympathetic re-
Spouse from the moral sense OF the
world would have given to our diploma
~. When II government failed to
make any provision whatever for de-
Tending its rights in case they should
be trampled upon 1t lost the power
which II belief In its readiness and will
to maintain Its rights would have CIV.
en- to its diplomatic representations.
When our government gave notice to
! Germany that 1t would destroy Amer
lean lives and American ships at Its
peril our words. which would have
been potent ii sustained by adequate
preparation to make them good and by
the prestige and authority Of the moral
leadership Of Il great people In Il great
cause, were treated with Il contempt
which should have been %fnreseen, and
when our government failed to make
those words good its diplomacy was
bankrupt.
Upon the record Of performance
which l have tried to describe will the
American people say that the Demo,
cratic party is entitled to he continued
IN power?
The defects Of the present admins
tratiOn arise from two distinct causes
The first Is the temperament and train
ting Of the president. The second Is the
incapactty of the Democratic party as
It Is represented In Washington both
In the legislative and IN the executive
depa rtments either to originate wise
policies or to follow them when pro
posed by others or to administer them
effectively II they are established. The
Democrats in congress are never con
trolled except with a club, and gov
crnment with Il club ia always spas
m0dic and defective.
ITO be c%0ntinued.)