New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-31
Liberty and Tyranny


Parliament and told the German people
and the world that the armies OF the
Kaiser were in Belgium because Germany
was in state of necessity and German
necessity knew neither law nor right. On
Thursday, standing in the same place, ne
said with equal earnestness that Germany
had sought no war with the United
States-that German submarines had en-
barked upon their campaign of murder
without malice.
And in these two incidents the same
shirt and the same idea are unmstaka-
HE. Germany invaded Belgium, Germany
burned Louvain, German soldiers acting
under orders raped Belgian women and
nrassacrec Belgian children-without
malice, because there was a German pur-
nose to be accomplished. Just as the thief
seeks to rob without violence, prefers to
nilfer without killing, Germany preferred
in Belgium, prefers with regard to Amer
lean lives and ships at sea, to achieve her
ends without bIoodshed-but if bloodshed
comes the blame is upon the murdered,
for the German purpose, like the German
necessity, is above the law.
VIII not the American people now per
ceive the issue? How much longer must
the fools and the knaves pc permitted to
bcfog the fact and becloud the record?
Germany has set about the task. of con-
ouering the world. Over forty years she
planned and prepared. Millions of young
Germans were taught that German pur-
pose was above the law, that humanity
was outside the question when Germany
had something to gain, that neither the lib
critics of peoples, nor the honor of women,
nor the lives of children were sacred when
German interests were concerned And at
her own selected hour Germany struck.
And for thirty months German soldiers
have practised this doctrine. They have
made desert out Of Northern France.
They have made shambles out of Bel
gian cities They have loosed poison gas
and sent their submarines and Zeppelins
abroad TO kill the innocent and the neutral,
wherever the innocent and the neutral in
terposed between them and their target.
Germany has not sought this war with
us. No, Germany has only sought to re-
n peal in the world all the doctrines that
are embodied in Christianity, all the prin-
ciples which have flowed from the
struggles Of free people from Marathon TO
Lexington. Germany has not sought to
attack Americans, save as Americans
dared to defend liberty, justice, humanity.
It is upon these that Germany wars.
Only those who would defend these are
in danger. We have but TO submit TO be
safe, but to yield to escape.
Yet we still see Americans who believe
that it is possible to avoid war with a ma
ton that holds to this gospel of crime. We
still hear voices urging that it is possible
to avoid conflict with a country which
through its highest officials procaims it's
sacred right TO murder neutrals and abol-
ISL liberty on the high seas and on the
soil of several continents, to serve Ger
man ends.
How can one believe such folly? Is il
possible that a typhoid epidemic in one
town can be of no concern to the residents
of the next? We have learned TO quaran.
tine against Asiatic cholera, we have
learned 70 fight disease by pursuing it to
It's source. How else shall we deal with
this most monstrous and loathsome Of all
diseases, this Germanism, more deadly to
the spirit Of man than is the black plague
70 his body?
Can there be Americans who do not yet
perceive that if the German ideal is TO
prevail the American is doomed? Only
yesterday We printed in this column the
words Of the citizens Of Lexington, Mas
sachusetts in town meeting assembled.
One hundred and forty-two years ago
their ancestors gathered on Lexington
Green 20 meet tyranny. And the de-
scsndsn.s Of these men Of Captain Par