New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-19
Why German Defeat Is Essential
to American Safety

in that country still fresh in his mind
should utter words of stern and solemn
warning to mis- countrymen. What Ger
man agents accomplished in Russia they
are seeking TO accomplish in the United
States. The confusion, disorder, anarchy
which German spies, agents, instruments
have produced in the Muscovite nation
they are seeking to produce in the United
States.
And in both nations the methods are the
same. While one group of German spies
seeks to turn to German ends the human
itarian and the pacihst, to make use of the
desire of men for peace, for social prog
ress, for moral and political reform, an
other group is operating amidst those for
whom murder is the approved method, and
destruction, blind, mad destruction, the
sole procedure.
In America as in Russia the Germans
are making one set of appeals TO the
Pacifsts and another to the |. w. W. They
are endeavoring on the one hand to delude
the honest, patriotic, idealistic elements,
and on the other to marshal and employ
those who are the natural enemies of law
end order and the sworn foes Of all gov
eminent. In the Senate the German agents
speak with the voice of the friends of
humanity. and in the mine and the work
shop with the tone of the assassin and the
road agent. a-.; E .. 81
And the consequence of all this is plain.
Never since the Civil War has there been
such open and outspoken disunion in the
country as to-day. Even in the Civil War
those who preached disunion were not the
Spokesman of an alien nation, of foreign
state. of different system of laws and a
hostile form Of government. They were
Americans, and they believed that for
American reasons certain things should be
changed. They were the descendants of the
men who had shared with the whole Thir-
teen Colonies the struggle for freedom,
and they remained loyal to their concep-
ton of what that freedom was.
But the German agents and servants in
this country are not interested in America.
They are no more interested in the safety
or prosperity of the United States than
are those other German agents in the
security and progress of the Russian peo-
pie. Their interest, their concern, their
business is to do anything and everything
that may aid Germany, however much it
Injuries the United States.
Mark, too how similar is the German
method in Russia and the United States.
Russia, emerging from long slavery, seek
ing to win clear Of old tyranny, abolishes
the chains that have fettered free speech
and free press. Instantly the Germans
seize upon free speech and free press to
disseminate German arguments and under
the cover Of the new liberty to seek to
destroy all Russian independence. Before
the revolution the Russian agents traf
fcked with the ministers Of the Gar, who
were prepared TO betray the nations; they
sought to make use Of the fear Of the Gar
and his monarchia associates, the fear OF
revolution and Of Russian emancipation
10 procure surrender to Germany. When
the Gar was overthrow they turned to
the new and sought to use the revolution
as they had endeavored to employ the
monarchy.
In the United States we have the tradi
ton and the inheritance Of free press
end OF free speech. II is an Anglo-Saxor
tradition, and we cling TO il as one Of the
foundations of our liberty. But behold
tie Germans have seized upon it as the
best agency for their own purpose. Like
the cancer that attacks a vital organ OF
the body and cannot be cut because to cut
IL means 70 destroy the organ and kill the
sufferer, the Germans have seized upon
free speech and free press and used them
10 destroy national unity ard national
safety.
Because we permit free discussion in and
out Of the press Of all national and inter.
national questions, because we believe that
only in such discussion is there safety the