New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-11
With Brains and Arms
America Must Prosecute War Without
Using German Methods
o Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Answering Mr.. Berton Braley, as wei
as those OF my critics who would rather
reason through tho spleen, let me resume
point by point:
+ am not protesting that at this stage
Of civilization the war was avoidable. But
now that we are in it | am urging that, con
trary to the Prussians, We should add to the
use of arms the use Of brains. The advance
Of Prussianism is only half with their
swords; il nvaies daily through our own
minds. Just SO the defeat Of Prussianlsm
can be only half with our swords and nan
through German minds. No, have not ior-
gotten the Lusitana the Arabic-nor the
Maine; but should rather be thinking for
ward than backward, thinking as decently
and constructively forward as | can. Ger
man Mayor of Chicago is preferable to a
Prussian Governor of Illinois.
.. ! am not proposing peace with "a man
eating tiger" urging peace with the
German people-precsely what the Presi-
dent urged in his note to the Pope.
3. | am not asking for the exposure OF
military secrets. | am urging the open state
ment of general war aims and rejoicing that
the United States has defined its purposes.
i. am not counsellng "obscenity,' gross
ness" sediton or treason. | am urging fair
play for people whose views seem to me to
be merely more like those of one set OF re-
spected citizens than like those Of another
set of respected citizens. more like those OF
II. G.. Wells, Charles w. Eliot, Hiram John
son and Woodrow Wilson than like those OF
Cleveland Mofett, Elihu Root, william Ho-
henzolern and Theodore Roosevelt
:. wish Mr.. Braley had not made it seem,
by the use Of quotation marks, that spoke
of our government as an irresponsible gov
eminent" | did not. clearly applied the
phrase to the German government. AND
am not opposing majority rule. am only
urging people against such Prussian folly
as military or police suppression OF law-aoid-
ing minorities.
In conclusion: am not with the Peoples
Council in their present fight against con-
scripton am not with them in their eff
fort, if such IT be, to stop the war without
restoration or internationalizato of in
vadcd territories Gncuding, if possible, Bos-
mia. Herzegovina, Alsace and Lorraine, as
well as the German colonies) without rea-
sonable reparation OF damage, and without
responsible pledge of future peace, made
through the military and naval disarmament
of nations and through the establishment OF
an international police force. But am with
them 10 the extent Of believing that a clean
peace and the safety of democracy should
be kept in our minds, not only after the
war but during it, with as much friendlI-
ness toward the peoples we are fighting as
is compatible with or conducive to the at
tanning Of those purposes. And cannot feel
tina: our official persecution Of reputable citi-
aens presenting reputable views is likely TO
advance those purposes, whether here or In
Russia or in Germany. judge of the views
of the Peoples Council, not from the flip
pances of a reporter, but from their Chi
cago resolution and the planks Of their plat
form as printed in The Tribune. And |
cannot see that they have done anything
toward embarrassing our government in the
prosecution of the war comparable to GER
tain efforts by officers Of the Navy League.
! make the following final points, be-
cause reasonable human being is liable
these days to Misrepresentation: / am not
a spy. am not in the pay or employ of the
German government. | am not pro-Prussian.
| am not and never have been member OF
the Socialist party. | am not Irish. ! am
net a bigoted pscifst.
In fact, my nearest approach to political
tigotry is my admiration for President viii
son, whose leadership has been from the be-
ginning a leadership OF the minds rather
than of the sensations OF the American
people.
Thanking you, sir, for your Willingness to
print both sides. WITTER BYNNER.
New York Sept Q. 1917.