The Washington times., 1917-02-01
GERMANY'S NEW ADVENTURE
IN FRIGHTFULNESS

Germany's mote to the United
States skaters a forlorn and flimsy
hope, a hope born of living too long
in FOOLS paradise, bolstered by the
soporific effects of the "kept US out
of war" opiate, a hope that the ma
ton that violated Belgium, threw to
the winds all other scraps of paper"
would stand by her reluctant half
promises to this nation.
On May 4, 1916, the German gov
eminent notified the United States
that an accordance with the general
principles of visit and search and de-
struction of merchant vessels recog-
nized by international law, such YES
sells, both within and without the
area declared as a naval war zone"
would not be sunk without warning
and without attempt to save human
lives.
This diplomatic victory" was won
after a series of note writings in
which he quibbled over established
principles of international law, after
winldng at the very principles that
we fought for in 1872, and after
cringing at the violation of those
very principles which Germany now
SO audaciously proclaims she is fight
ing for, "tke freedom of the seas as
preliminary condition for free and
peaceful intercourse Of all nations.
In the face of this note Secretary
Lansing's unfortunate Explanation
of President Wilson's peace plea,
that the President sought to bring
about a cessation of the struggle
lest the United States be embroiled,
takes on a new aspect. 1t may
throw light, too, on the Presidents
unusual and unexpected address to
the Senate. Our effort to assume a
paternal aspect toward the whole
world, the vague and illusory dream
of spreading out the Monroe doc
trine to blanket Europe. the "neu-
trality of thought and word" of
eighteen months ago, and the sud-
den accession of humanitarianism in
a last desperate effort to keep US
out of war;" all crash against the
stone wall of German frightfulness.
more heinous, more offensive, more
repulsive, more arrogant, than any
similar effort she has made in the
past.
The psychology of the German ma
ton, as explained in polysyllabic
phrase and with an erudition that
trimmed itself to each new exhibition
of national temperament, now needs
no exposition from college profess
sors. 1t is plain, frightfully plain,
to the man in the street. He pictures
a nation that started out in defiance
of human laws and all principles Of
Justice because it believed in its vir-
tuous might, now fighting with its
back to the wall, willing to sacrifice
even the vestiges of its professions
as last weapon in struggle which
it has tacitly admitted, by its peace
proposals, it is slowly losing.
Each covert insult to the intelli-
gence Of the United States, conveyed
yin the pile Of missives already COM
mdnicated, brought to most think
ing men a realization that the time
was fast coming when this nation
has to stand for its rights to main
tain its self-respect. The note of
yesterday brings the Administration
face to face with an actuality which
the supremest effort at phrase max
ing, the most consummate juggling
with theories, cannot evade. 1t
brings to the tongues of thousands
of red-blooded American citizens
with intensified force the question
they have been asking since the Lusi-
tania went down, "What is my coun-
try going to do about it,"
We have no idea Of embarrassing
the President or Secretary Lansing,
by assuming to outline the steps
which in our judgment they ought to
take to meet this offense to our ma
tional dignity and threat against our
national interests. We have conf
dence enough in the American spirit
and in the loyalty of any Admins
tration to American ideals to trust
that the situation will be met i'm
pressively with courage and firm
ness. We feel. sure that Germany
will be convinced speedily and en-
phatically that whatever she may do