New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-04
Remember the Lusitania!

Il was not a watchword of revenge.
There was no desire on the part Of the
millions Of Americans who uttered II to do
violence to Spaniards or seek vengeance
for what they believed to have been
monstrous crime. We went to war with
Spain to bring liberty to Cuba and to put
an end to a long standing tragedy. We
went to the West Indies TO bring freedom
to establish justice and to end tyranny.
To every American the Maine stood as the
symbol of Spain and Spanish method.
We are going to war with Germany now,
and in the same sense Remember the
Lusitania!" will be the watchword. We do
not seek vengeance for our dead. We are
not going to war with any desire to pun
ish. but we are going TO war to contribute
our part in so far as we can to putting
.erm to German berbarism in the world.
And of this barbarism the Lusitania
vas a final illustration. The women and
chiIdren-American as we'll as belonging
10 other nations-who were slaughtered
ruthlessly by the German submarine of
he Old Head Of Kinsale were the victims OF
German purpose and of German barba-
rism. They were slain in defiance Of inter
national law, in defiance Of every rule and
tradition of humanity, purely and simply
rs an expression of German purpose. Ger
many has brought back into the world
,ospel founded on force, fortified by ter
ror. Germany has undertaken to murder
# few that the many may bow to her Will
Germany has undertaken by fire and by
sword, by rape and by murder, to ter
,orize the world And of all this the Lusi-
taina Massacre was a symbol.
From the morning of the Lusitania
here never has been the smallest excuse
tor a misunderstanding by Americans Of
The meaning Of Germany in the world.
The whole spirit and the whole purpose of
Germany expressed in the invasion of Bel
,-;um. illuminated by the flames Of Lou
vain, revealed to-day by the smoking ashes
~ st. Quentin, all were disclosed when the
Lusitania went down, carrying her help
less freight of women and children, sacri-
feed to German violence.
Remember the Lusitania" must be for
as the watchword of this war. Because
for us this war must be struggle to
make future Lusitania Massacres impos-
sible: il must be war to take the sword
end the torch from German hands; TO
share in protecting mankind and human
civilization from the most monstrous peril
they have known in Christian history. The
dav will come when American participa-
ton in the war will be dated from the
sinking Of the Lusitania. The time will
come when that crime will for Americans
ra,k with the deeds Of Alva in the Low
Countries. II was a crime against civiliza-
ton and humanity less in magnitude than
;;crmany's deeds in Belgium, in France;
'ess in importance than German massa-
cres in half a dozen invaded countries
But il was complete in itself as dem
onstratiCn OF what Germany now Is
and Of what German success would mean
in the world.
lie. us remember TIE Lus;taIia; lei US
20 TO war with the memory of the Iusi-
:ania before us not with the hope or de
sire % inaict upon the German people
equal suffering: not to take toll in Ger
snan blood for American lives sacrificed
by a German submarine; but resolved tha:
in 60 Ear as we are able there shall never
again be such massacre. The present
war is q war % civilization against bar
barism; it is contest 70 put an end TO
the German effort 10 subjugate the bodies
Of men by force and their minds by terror.
Like Great Britain, like France, like Rus
STA, like Italy, like Rumana, like Serbia,
ike Portugal, we are joining in new
crusade. We are seeking to rescue the
sanctuary Of our common democracy from
the hands of barbarian destitute even of
that semblance Of chivalry which fire.
ouently distinguished the Saracen foes Of
the ancient Crusadcs.
Those who died with the Lusitania died