Pioneer press. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1882-19??, 1916-03-18

Quarrels Of Europe, but neutral as to
the treatment Of Belgium, neutral be-
tween right and wrong, neutral be-
tween justice and injustice, neutral be-
tween humanity and cruelty, neutral
between liberty and oppression. Our
government did more than acquiesce.
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 atr0ci-
ties, it wrote these words to the gov
eminent 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, havin"
learned to recognize the German View
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
ment OF Belgium. 1t misrcpresentcl
the people of the United States in tina
acQuieScencc and apparent approval
1t was not necessary that the United
States should go to war in defense
OF the violated law. a single ollicia!
expression by the government Of the
United States 81 single sentence deny
Ing assent and recording disapprovul
Of what Germany did in Belgium.
would have given to the people Of
America that leadership to which they
were entitled In their earnest cropping
for the light. 1t would have ranged
behind American leadership the con-
science and morality Of the neutral
world
It was not to be. The American
government failed to 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 In
the eyes Of mankind only solicitude for
trade and profit and prosperity
Shran< From the Truth.
The American government could not
really have approved the treatment of
Belgium, but under Il mistaken policy
It shrank from speaking the truth.
Such policies as | have described are
doubly dangerous in their effect upon
foreign nations and in their effect at
home. It is q matter Of universal cx
per1ence that weak and apprehcnsive
treatment Of foreign affairs invites eli
croachments upon rights and leads to
situations in which it is difficult to
prevent war, while a firm and frank
policy at the outset prevents difficult
situations from arising and tends most
strongly to preserve peace. On the
other hand. if government is to be
strong In its diplomacy its OWL pco-
pie must be ranged in its support 5y
leadership of opinion in Il national
otism and devotion.
We have not been following the path
Of peace. We have been bliu,lly stun
bling along the road that contin"",!
will lead to Inevitable war.
When our government failed to t~I3
the truth about Belgium it lost ;hc
opportunity for leadership Of the moral
sense of the American people and it
lost the power which q knowledge Of
that leadership and sympathetic re-
spouse from the moral sense Of the
world would have given to our diDlor,a-
~. When our government failed 10
make any provision whatever for de-
Tending Its rights in case they should
be trampled upon it lost the power
which belief in its readiness and will
to maintain its rights would have CIV
en- to it's diplomatic Representations.
When our government gave notice 10
Germany that it would destroy Amer
lean lives and American ships at its
peril our words, which would have
been potent if sustained by adequate
preparation to make them good and BIZ
the prestige and authority Of the moral
leadership of great people in Il great
cause, were treated with q contempt
which should have been foresccn. 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 be continued
In power?
The defects Of the present admins
tration arise from two distinct causes.
The first IS the temperament ana train
Ing of the president. The second is the