New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-21
How Can We Keep Out of War?
Blu Paul Dana

Pilgrims and pioneers. arose the trluhpha"'
slogan of the last Presidential campaign,
"He kent US out Of war" The motto Oh
Pincknev was reversed into: Millions ior
tribute. but not one cent for defence.
Let US now consider the situation erea'eu
bv the Presidents dismissal OF the German
Ambassador and the arming Of our merchant
men. move, il is comfort 20 observe
greeted throughout the country with me en-
.busiasm Of an America reawakened. While
we must do him full justice for that patriouc
course. let us not overdo it 70 the extern OF
ignoring the striking features OF It's adop-
ton. and let US not forget the inaienaoie
responsibility of Congress in the present
crisis. Germany practically declared war on
tho United States on January 81, that beng
the date of her notice that her practice OF
assassination at sea would begin again Oh
February g. when he informed Congress tnat
our Diplomatic relations with Germany hao
been ended, Mr. Wilson said that at some
time in the future, meaning when the ives
of some other Americans had been taken,
euphoniously termed by him the overt aeI'
he would again call Congress together 10
hear his request for authority to take the
first step in self-defence to arm our sAipS'
The bill for that purpose was hna"y IN
troduced when the session was at stage mat
made its defeat by flibuster easy. Mr.. VII
so, Aid not seek for legal advice as TO his
own inherent mower to arm ships until after
March 4 or nearly five weeks after receiving
tho evidence that il would be necessary. Con-
GROSS was not summoned again TO take up
tho nublic business until April 10. Inc
Guiding thought seems TO have been: Never
do today what can be put of until to-mor-
row."
What Do the American People Want
However. be President Wilson regarded
as wise or foolish, patriotic, as taat woro
is commonly understood. or not, the great
decision rests with Congress.
Is the policy in force what the American
neople like and want? Are we, throwing
our history on the dungheap, to so on wait
ing. watchfully. if you like, for other out
RACES. other deaths, and then sit down 10
talk about what to do next? Is our isoia-
ton from the world outside so complete
that. like Germany, we are a moral Ia"
unto ourselves and it makes no difference
what we do? Are we to live on, dear 10
the long cry of tortured humanity, whhe
the Allies in Europe, giving indeed thelr
"Iast full measure of Devotion fight on 10
nrotect not only themselves but us from
the ambitions of atrociou5 and all-threat-
ening Germany? To-day no one can ask IN
good faith. Why should We go to war! II
there is any question on that subject 1t must
be. How can we keep out? Many OF our
citizens have been killed. Others have been
maltreated. We have in our hands the OIL
fetal announcement that the slaughering Is
to 90 on. Our ships have been sunk. Our
commerce has been stopped. Our am
bassador has been imprisoned. wrong
and insult have both been heaped on US Our
rights have been invaded and our people
murdered at sea. as heroic Belgium's rights
were invaded and her people murdered on
land. The time has come when we must
strike back at the enemy or take on the
disgrace of failing even to protect our neu-
tralty. The day OF neutrality in the pa
cifc sense is over. To protect ourselves
in reputation as well as in rights, we must
become the ally of the Allies. II we ran
we will in effect become German ally
There is still another aspect of the argu-
ment for entering the war The idea that
we should ever take part in arranging the
terms Of European peace has always seemed
10 me a dream for which not even abstract
Justice could make a plea. But when peace
has come. with the fulness of victory that
means conclusive defeat Of the most devil
ish attack on liberty ever known, there will
be a council table Of the civilized nations
and only those who have shared in their
agony. who have helped to tighten 1t, can
expect to have a seat The others will wait
outside.
New York. March 10, 1917.