New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-24
Cernany's Vassals Next

so far as Germany is concerned uelhl"Ns
has committed infamies alongside winch
subcrnation Of American newspapers ano
plots to destroy munitions plants ana
enemy shipping seem relatively innocent
employments. We have met German
perfdy and outrage with declaration OF
war. We have resolved TO fight on until
Hobenzollern rule and all that it stands
for are cast into scrap heap.
The revelations now being made and
those which are to come cannot alter our
attitude toward Germany. But they can
easily affect our present relations with
Germany's allies. We are still nomlnaily
in a state of peace with Austria-Hungary.
But that status is highly artificial and
precarious. Austria-Hungary's fortunes
are inextricably linked with Germany's.
The Dual Monarchy has become a mere
dependency of the German Empire. Its
resources are being used to help Germany
make war against US. We have officially
closed our eyes to that fact Our govern
s..st has been trying for some time past
TO ignore even the existence Of Austria
Hungary.
The disclosures which the State De-
partnent is authorizing will make 1t
difficult to pursue that policy any longer.
Austria Hungary's diplomatic representa-
tives here were not behind Germany's
Representatives in promoting intrigues
against our peace and order. In fact, our
first clash over sabotage and incendiary
activities in this country was with Vienna.
Ambassador Dumba was sent home be-
cause he was caught organizing plots to
cripple and destroy our munitions plants
He was as Jealous in promoting sedition
and violence here as Count Won Bernstorff
was. although his secret service fund was
limited. compared with Bernstorf's.
Austria Hungary has shown the same
perfdv toward us as Germany has. She
has also formally Endorsed the German
policy of indiscriminate submarine war
fare. We declared war against Germany
because the government at Berlin an
rounced its purpose to sink on sight any
American vessels entering certain desig-
mated European waters. We refrained
from declaring war on Austria-Hungary
only because her government, though APP
h proving the German programme, pleaded
N that Austrian U-boats we're operating only
v in a circumscribed area, in which there
was little or no probability of their ever
encountering American shipping.
The distinction drawn between German
purposes and Austro-Hungarian pur-
poses rests on legal fiction. The Dual
Monarchy is already our enemy. Her
agents here defed our laws and challenged
our sovereignty as freely as Germany's
agents did. The Vienna government was
unquestionably in sympathy with Tim
mermann's overtures to Mexico. The diplo-
matte as well as the military policy of the
Central Powers is shaped in Berlin. Any
ntmation on the part of Austria
Hungary, or Of Bulgaria and Turkey, of a
detached and semi-amicable attitude tow
ard the United States is an empty pre-
tence. These states are necessarily our
enemies because they have become satel-
lites of Germany, and thus have surren-
dered all independence of will and action.
Senator King was right when he said on
Saturday that "the day is not far distant
when we must recognize a state of war
letween this country and Austria, Bull
Caria and Turkey" These nations are
making war against us when they aid
Germany to make war against us. We
are sending troops TO the Western front in
Europe. Our men may not actually come
into contact there with Austrian, Hun
parian. Bulgarian or Turkish forces. But
The utilization Of Austrian, Hungarian,
Bulgarian and Turkish troops on other
fronts enables Germany to maintain 50
many more German divisions in France
and Belgium. The proposition is as broad
As il is long. We cannot fight Germany
without fighting Germany's allies, and
every man they contribute to exc out Ger
many's strength anywhere is man cast
into the balance against the United States
Il is time to drop the fiction that we are
not affected by what Austria-Hungary,