The Washington herald., 1917-03-30
The Only Way.

The Only Way.
(New York Times.)
The German order making prisoners
of all American relief workers In Bel
gium, including our Minister, Brand
Whitlock, and his staff, removes all
doubt as to the course, the United States
government should pursue. When Con-
gress assemblies on April 2 1t must forth
with declare war against Germany.
declaration that the state OF war exists
no longer betits the unprecedented sit
uation created for Germany's brutalities.
II would be a paltering measure, having
the air Of seeking to Jockey Germany
into the position of the aggressor. We
have no need to do that. She IL the ag-
gressor, she has committed a thousand
crimes against US. she has given US
such unbearable provocations to war
that the only course open to us. as a
selfresrecting nation, is to declare 1t
and make war upon her with all the
force we can summon.
What Germany calls a news quaran-
tine Is but an imprisonment of Minister
Whitlock and the legation staff with all
the Americans In Belgium. to be held in
communicate for the period named. The
Imperial government held Ambassador
Gerard prisoner in Berlin for days, 1t
w
weeks. There is but one reply to such
affrorts and injuries.
a direct declaration of war has many
advantages over any other course. 1t
is the only fitting response to the provo
cation given. It is the only one worthy
of great nation. No other will meet
the demands of the American people,
justly angry at these repeated outrages.
The Penalty of LawbreakinE.
christian Science Monitor)
In the sharp refusal of the United
States to enter into any new or sup
Elementary or interpretative agreement
with Berlin as to Article 23 Of the Treaty
OF 11U9. because OF her deliberate disre-
gard of the obligations she assumed in
signing that document, Germany has
foretastc of what she may reasonably
expect when the time comes for franz
ing and signing a peace convention.
should she be unable to dictate its terms
In treating contracts with other nations
as scraps of paper" when 1t suited her
purpose to do so. she has, or the gov
ernment which speaks for her has, fore
feited the right to be treated or respected
as a responsible or dependable party
Secretary Lansing informs her Foreign
Office in plain terms that certain OF her
p Frye, early in the war, to the pesent
time. have been such as to render 1t i'm
possible for the United states to look
with favor upon her request that the
scope of the treaty In question shall be
broadened at this time. even though
Germany is willing to enter into a new
obligation
The French People.
(Eansa.
II this newspaper were called upon tust
now to address a graduating class II
thinks 1t would select for its text the
patience, fortitude and sacrificing en-
DURANGO of the French people. It thinks
there is not to be found in the world to-
day more Inspiring spectacle 1t be-
lieves 1t Is one thing that justIfies all
our faith in the ennobling influence upon
people OF patriotic devotion to their
national ideals
The Paris Temps said truthfuIIv the
other day that previous to the war what
America looked to France for was lit
erature and fashions. the graces and
pleasures rather than the virtues and
ideals OF French life. We had been mis-
led into believing the French people had
brillianCe without depth and that about
all they had to teach the world was the
politest way in which to express disbe-
lief in any virtue. We had almost come
TO believe. through their Dreyfus and
Caillaux cases. that patriotism itself was
part of their category OF disbelief. and
that skepticism. politics and espionage
had made them a people Indifferent to
IN" stir OF higher calls. -"
There is nothing sham about the way
the French people have evoked the es-
TEEN of the world. There Is no short cut
to such success 1t comes only because
it is won by intelligent and effective de-
votion TO ideals.
New York Evening POST.
Instead Of inviting the German people
to take pride In the remarkable victory
Hindenburg has won over the allies by
cvacuating nearly a thousand square
miles OF TERRITORY. the Berlin inspired
press might be using much more plausi-
BILE and legitimate argument to stimulate
the national spirit. This is at hand in
the undeniable apprehension with which
the German war plans are regarded in
various allied quarters At Petrosrsd d
they are bracing themselves for a mighty
thrust toward the capital, which might
involve the retirement of the provisional
government to Moscow In Italy for
some time they have been anticipating a
heavy blow from the Trentino, and no
attempt is made at Rome to minimize the
task which would then confront the Ital-
ian army. At Paris yesterday the new
minister OF war warned the Chamber
that the German armies are stronger to-
day that they ever have been. Surely
no greater tribute to German arms can
he imagined than that in the midst of
a great retirement on one front the fear
of what the Germans may accomplish
on one of several other fronts should be
so vividly present to the enemy. This
kind of argument is much more likely