New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-19

thics earliest embraced the Federal cauSc'
The cultured classes. on the other hand WIN
few exceptions. espoused the 'onfener"'e
cause In France the case was quite the oppo-
site Though the cultured French had no more
information on the subject than the Ene
lish their instinct was sound from me STAR
and represented the mind Of the nation. IN
both countries officialdom was cold and nos
tile. By the close Of the war both nations
were solidly on the side Of the North teen
nically neutral but not passioness.
Trades influence
Our foremost historian OF the Civil War.
James Ford Rhodes. some twenty years ago
wrote Of these things. He said with refer
once to the English that they would MOI
believe there was moral question involved
in the contest. because. under the influence
OF their hatred Of democracy and their de-
sire for good trade and prosperous manu-
features, they did not wish to believe II; ard
the thought that the South would probably
succeed developed into wish for its sue
cess" Then follow words that not with
out clements Of proDhecy in them: "Neyerthe-
less, il may not be becoming for an American
to pass condemnation; for, being true chill
dren of the Mother Country, II may be sus-
pccted that in similar circumstances we
should have Likewise erred; that had England
been engaged in war in which justice, sup
ported by the monarchy and the aristocracy.
was on one side and American dollars and a
plausible cause on the other the dominant
sympathy in our country would have been
with the cause which seemed linked with our
commercial prosperity"
do not believe. however. that il was COM
mercial calculation but rather great hatred
of 1Ct If 4raHi+ ~ a
policy OF isolation and an impeyfec. con-
ception Of The moral issues at stake 1hich
have led us 70 experiment up to the last
moment with the obsolete instrument OF neu-
trality. There are those who from the be-
ginning have recognized that France and
Belgium in resisting the invasion Of their
own territory were at the same time pre-
venting the future invasion Of American soil,
which would have been the next step in case
of German victory. With equal clearness it
has been obvious to all who cared to see
IT, that England in maintaining her own free
dom of the is maintaining that Of
America and the acknowledgement nations II
IN the course of the war there have been
occasional lapses from level justice on the
part of the Allies toward neutrals they
have been. 20 speak. civ. as distinguished
from criminal offences. II IS not for house
holder to put in the same categorv the THIEF
and assassin who is Deng chased and the
policeman who in pursuit OF the offender
breaks the hedge and tramples down the
flower, or even the vegetable garden
Americas Debt TO the Allies
If my reasoning is true. debt of more
than gratitude is due the Allies b. America
for having borne the burden and heat of a
l..
integrity. The accident of geography which
puts a few thousand miles of water between
us and them has obscured the fact whicr
had our borders touched those of Franco
would have been as evident as was
the value to France of the immortal
Belgian resistance at Lieoe. 1t is no
local quarrel that is in progress. The
soil of Ferdun is as sacred TO the cause
of universal liberty as that of Gettysburg.
The conflict here. as there, was that govern =
ment of tho people. for the people. by the
people. should not perish from the earth
No mans life was incomplete who died fght-
ing ct Verdun. HIS Wondering BODY honora
the ground where he lies and his soul
goes marching Oh. lie held in trust the
cause of all men. Deep within the fortress
of Verdun / found inscribed:
"L'Allemand bat pour opprimer:
lie Francais sc bat pour afranchir.
Du sort de la France depend lie sort du
monde"
1t is profoundly true.
1t may be that you arc well aware of these
things yourself. But you need the voice o.
friend to tell it to you in new language. Ian
guage reverberating with the music of CRATE
fu recognition The interpretive function Of
another nation comes in to inspire YOU afresh
by lifting you for the moment out of your local
problems. your intimate sorrows. your bur
dened lot. We see about France the halo which
she herself cannot see because of the blood
and sweat and smoke OF battle IL is the halo
won only by those who go through the great
tribulation under the stern guardianship of
great principles, principles to which France
in victory will be as true as France in
conflict.
Information TO- D,tx;ot,