The Washington herald., 1917-02-09
Dangerous Danying.

n notorious mouthpiece oil the ad-
ministration makes this announce
ment OF its policy:
Officials realize that il Germany
deliberately intends to drag America
into the war, nothing can be lost by
biding time and clearly placing the
burden for such an offensive step on
the imperial government
These are strange words, curiously
eoncealing weak policy within a
clever one. Truly. nations do not go
to war over "technicalities.' Assur-
edly, they do not rush into strife in
the heat OF passion, but at least they
do not wait to be dragged into war
by the scruf of the neck. Public
opinion will not sanction mere paltry
opportunism in the present crisis.
The administration comedies the
significance of the California sinking,
but is frank enough to say it will
dodge the issue until more faring
case comes up-that is, until an
American ship is sunk and until
American lives are sacrificed. The in
ference is that another tragedy that
will create such moral revulsion
among Americans as the Lusitania
crime will have to come before the
American government will proceed to
defend with armed force the undoubt-
ed rights of its nationals on the high
seas-rights which Germany has wan
tonly challenged.
What is the moral effect of this
policy? Some evidence is already at
hand. The will, the initiative, of
American shipping is palsied. The
German admiralty is recovering its
assurance. The liner St. Louis has
not yet sailed, vainly awaiting some
word from Washington for courage
TO turn its prov towards the blockade
zone. Convoy has been refused the
ship. She may arm if she wishes.
The government refuses to provide
protection for her against the German
threat; for that reason she lies at her
dock in New York.
Think of the terrible burden of re-
sponsibility the State Department inn
poses on the private shipownerl He
must decide whether to expose his
vessel to the risk of destruction and
the risk of sacrificing hundreds of
lives. Naturally, he declines it. Will
ing as he is to brave the risk under
the protecting aegis of the govern
ment, without it he justly shrinks in
fear from the gigantic gamble. Who
is there that will blame hims
So that in effect Germany has sue
ceeded in her threat to drive Amer
lean shipping from the seas, or in that
portion of the seas contained in the
blockade zone. Such Is the anomalous
situation at the present moment.
1t cannot continue. A eontortionist
policy of walking on egg shells" y
the one thing likely to dessicate the
high, proud spirit with which our
people greeted the rupture with Ger
many and faced the prospect of an
armed defense of American rights.
Those who oppose the now trans
parent revival of "watchful waiting"
with new cast and vastly augment
ed scenic equipment) are not jingoes,
nor militarists, nor war propagandists.
The one essential of American policy,
in their view, should be a strong,
unfsltering, unafraid stand towards
Germany. A break" followed by
retreat, vacillation, and merely oppor-
tunistic biding of events, merely post
pones the inevitable and dissipates
national morale while doing so. 1t
will cause feverish resumption of
activity by William Jennings Bryan,
George Sylvester Viereck and their
satellites.
Therefore, We believe the President
will revise his present policy before
many days have passed.