New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-07
Why,


sunk whenever German purpose Is thus
served despite all he protection guaran-
teed to them by international law.
But the occasion Of the war can have
little interest for us to-day, and it will have
less for those who come hereafter. The
war with Germany is the result Of German
assault upon the democracy of the world,
upon the humanity of mankind, for the
purpose Of winning world power and world
supremacy for Germany.
The German invasion Of Belgium, in de-
fiancc Of German pledge and treaty obli-
CATION, was a sign and symbol that Ger
many believed herself to be outside and
above international faith and honor. The
shambles of Louvain were lasting eX-
preston in action Of the German convic-
ton that humanity, pity, mercy, were
phrases without appeal for the German
when murder, arson, rape, could contribute
TO the realization of a German purpose.
The sinking Of the Lusitania was
demonstration Of the German conviction
that neither neutrals nor non-combatants
were entitled to life, to liberty, to the per-
Torrance of their peaceful duties when
Germany could profit by their murder.
Each crime against America that has fol-
lowed has been merely one more applica-
ton Of the German idea.
Let us in the days that are to come keep
IN mind the magnitude Of the real issue
of this war. II is war for liberation;
war for the re-liberation of those peoples
who have been conquered in the present
conflict; and a war for the liberation of
those peoples who have, through long CEN
turtles, remained the victims Of tyranny
and autocracy. 1t is a war for the liberia
ton of mankind; for the liberation Of man
kind from the immediate sufferings Incl
dent to German aggression; and it is
war for the liberation of mankind from
the future perils of the persistence of the
German idea in the world.
Abraham Lincoln said that this Republic
could not exist half slave and half free.
Now, with similar clarity, we perceive
that the world cannot exist half German
and half free. We have to put an end to
the bloody doctrine Of the superior race
to that anarchy which is expressed in the
conviction that German necessity is above
all law. We have to put an end to the
German idea Of ruthlessness. We have to
nut an end to the doctrine that it is right
to make every use Of power that is posi-
bic. without regard to any restriction of
Justice, of honor, Of humanity.
For thirty-two moAths German armies
have been going up and down Europe de
stroying the beautiful, abusing the weak,
numbering the helpless, Transforming some
of the most beautiful places and regions in
the world into deserts. They have har-
messed science to barbarism and called it
"Kultur" They have joined organization
TO ruthlessness and called it civilization"
They have expressed the spirit Of the Dark
Ages by the machines of the twentieth
century.
And to this threat and to this menace
mankind has responded as mankind must.
We have had plebiscite of the free PEG
pies of the world, and one by one they have
gone to the trenches TO repulse the German
hordes. One nation after another, its
leaders following its masses, has rejected
the German doctrine and has taken up
arms TO defend a common civilization and
a common democracy.
Let us at all times remember why we
are at war. We are at war because Ger
nanism threatens all that has been best
and noblest and most enduring in our ma
tional life. We are at war because those
who trace their national liberty to Licking
ton cannot permanently permit Liege and
l,ouvain TO stand. We are at war because
there are no boundaries 10 liberty and be-
.ausc all free peoples are equally imper-
led when autocracy is on the march and
-'russianism abroad in the WORLD.
This sort OF thing which Germany has
psen doing over the face Of the waters and