New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-10
What Should Be Understood

understood. 30 lar inc country mas ldllCu
to understand it, and for that failure
the attitude of the Administration is part
~ to blame
If we go to war with Germany 1t will not
be because of any particular covert act
on Germany's part. We shall not fight
to avenge the murder of any particular
American or group Of Americans. We
shall fight to defend principle-to assert
rights which we cannot afford to allow
Germany TO abridge or deny.
Reparation may be offered and accepted
for wrongs done to individuals. 1t may
even be waived if the wrongdoer pledges
himself not to repeat his crime. When
more than 100 American lives were taken
in the Lusitania massacre our government
demanded a disavowal Of the crime, pun
ishment of the submarine commander who
committed it and reparation such as 1t
might be possible for Germany to make
to the families of those Americans who
lost their lives The German government
having shown no intention to comply with
these demands, we allowed them to lapse,
accepting instead the promises of amended
conduct on the high seas which Berlin
gave after the sinking of the Arabic and
enlarged after the sinking of the Sussex.
Now Germany has withdrawn her
pledges to respect American sea rights
She has given us official notice that she
intends to abolish American rights in so
far as they may come into conflict with
supposed German military necessities. She
was not talking idly when she sent us this
warning, for she had staked her future on
the success of the illegal and ruthless
submarine campaign by means of which
she hopes to exterminate British overseas
commerce and to force Great Britain to
submission.
Germany's purpose is plain. She has
challenged our rights because to recognize
them any longer will hamper her in her
military operations. For exactly the same
reason she invaded Belgium and enslaved
the Belgians. She knew exactly what she
was doing when she issued her new war
zone proclamation. We only deceive our
selves if we pretend to think that she did
rot visualize completely what the effect of
the blockade edict would he on her rela-
tions with the United States.
The commission of an covert act is
therefore no longer essential to emphasize
Germany's hostile purposes toward us.
She threatens 10 destroy all neutral ship
ping-American included-which ventures
into the new war zone. Her threats have,
N effect, already excluded American YES
sells from that zone. Her proclamation
has acted as a blockade, sealing our har-
bors. Why, then, await the murder of some
individual American before taking official
notice OF the state of war which already
exists between Germany and the United
States, so far as the intrusion of Amcri-
can vessels or American passengers into
the zone of blockade goes?
We are obliged to fight Germany in order
70 maintain the same American principle
which we went to war 10 maintain against
Great Britain in 1872. Germany has null
lifted that principle so far as it lies within
her power to do so. she has undertaken to
enforce her will on us in the matter of the
free use of the seas. In 80 doing she has
precipitated state Of war. No covert
act" on her part can make her belicose in
tentions any clearer than they already are.
What the country needs to understand
is that since our contention and Germany's
contention are irreconcilable, and since
Germany has already appealed to force
70 sustain her view, the two countries
are already at swords points. There is
no chance left of peaceful compromise.
We cannot hope TO reestablish the princi-
pie 10 which we are committed until Ger
many is reduced to impotence and conse-
quently TO reason.
Her mood now is one Of madness. Force
is the only thing which she respects. She
is making barbarous warfare on her enc
mics. She is ready to turn and rend any
neutral whose interests clash in the slight
est with hers. She is like wild beast
AT bay. She will make no concessions to
the spirit Of justice between nations, man.
fest no respect for international law, show
no repentance for her manifold crimes and
orutalities, until her present power and
spirit arc crushed.
The American people should free them
eelves from the deusion that they can at
ford 10 wage an isolated near-war with
Germany, merely defending American ships
from destruction by German submarines.
The principle for which we are fighting is
not b, be indicated in that playing it-safe
way. II Germany is not thoroughly beaten
in this war the structure Of civilization in
the world will be no more securely estab-
lished after peace returns than II was in
the years before 1914 when Germany was
eagerly preparing for war. She will pre-
pare for war again. The only law she
gecho,nizes y,I ne the lazy OF military ne