New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-05

Tho idea that a nation can invade a neutral
state. murder its citizens. ravage It's helds'
dishonor its women, merely because the IN
terest Of the invading nation IS thus served
We do not believe that a nation can dow
up a passenger ship and drown some scores
Of American women and children just be-
cause the ship flies British flag and Ger
many il az war with Great Britain.
To-day we are making the same mistake
that all the nations Of Europe have made
in recent years We are attempting to
negotiate with Germany on the basis OF our
conceptions Of international law and univer-
sal humanity. We are endeavoring to per-
suade Germany 20 act in direct conflict with
her idea, with what her people believe, with
what her rulers believe. We are endeavoring
TO have Germany act in accordance with the
laws that represent civilization as We under
stand 1t, that represent the gain for human
ity Of the long centuries since barbarism.
Germany frankly prefers what we deem bar
barism There is no law but German law to
her people; there is no right but the Ger
man right to her statesmen.
An EphemeraI Peace
n Germany prevails, II she establishes by
her arms her doctrine that there IS no right
but her right, and that right rests upon
arms. not treaty. convention, common ac-
coptancc Of humane principles, the world VIII
be left with the choice between complete re-
lapse into barbarism and new STRIFE. ms
war unless it ends in the complete subJugs-
ton Of the world, will be but the prelude to
more wars. The peace that comes Will be
as ophcmeral IS the brief truces that inter
rlpted the Napoieonic wars while the nations
Of Europe gathered up their strength for
new resistance to Napoleans dream Of world
power and universal dominion.
With Germans themselves the United
States has no quarrel No desire and no
business of ours is it to contribute to the
conquest Of the Teuton by the Slav or the
Latin. If the Teuton's cause does not i'm
peril the American, If the Teuton makes
war not upon civilization but upon Slavic
rival Of many centuries. But this the Ger
man does not do. He is sssailing not Slay
rights, not French rights, not British rights,
but the rights of all men; he is making war
upon the idea which underles all our com
mon civilization One by one the nations of
the whole world are joining in the defence
Of these rights.
The hopeless thing in our own issue with
Germany does not lie in the circumstances,
terrible as they are, of the Lusltana cpl
sode We shall never forgive that wanton
slaying; generations of Americans will re-
call it as an act Of hideous barbarism but
we do not desire to fight about il. We are
Perfectly willing to discuss with Germany
any arrangement that can be made subject
10 the operation Of international law within
the boundaries of right and humanity. But
Germany begins by wiping these out. She
-. kn,ft ha
rights which all civilized nations have con-
coded as binding upon themselves, but OF
German rights, which have no other exis-
tence that in her own mind and under her
own peculiar system
We Must BE Prepared to Fight
IL is this fact that all of us must recog-
rize. II is this circumstance in a world war
that we must grasp. The battle of armies
is of minor moment. The battle of ideas is
what is of permanent meaning. We have no
sympathy with the territorial ambitions Of
Germany's enemies. We regard with open
disapprovll the platform which proclaims the
future partition of Germany. We recognize
the great things that Germany has done
for herself and for mankind. But we Ameri-
cans must also recognize that this German
idea, now revealed to us in its unmistakabe
form, is destructive of all that we love, be-
leve. have fought for and must be prepared
to fight for again if necessary.
But in grasping this fact we must also
realize that the German idea precludes all
possibility of diplomatic arrangement with
Germany of our own differences. Conceiv-
ably Germany, already assailed by many
nations, will yield to the United States
rather than enlist new foe But TO the
American idea she will not yield, because
Ter idea is utterly, irrevocaby, ineffably
different The rights we urge she does not
recognize. the laws we cite she has abol-
ished, the humanity we plead she has ex-
changed for her own. which applies only to
Germans. Deutschland uber Allies is with
Germany no longer song; it is religion
and a law above all other laws.