New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-19
Yellow Dog Americanism

Hampton Moore and few other RepuD-
icans are preaching in the House of Rep
resentatives is doctrine of poltroonery.
Il is yellow dog Americanism.
These worthless are trying to hide be-
hind the Monroe Doctrine. They want
30 excuse a surrender of American sea
rights at Germany's behest on the ground
that if we should fight with Germany we
should be mixing into European concerns.
Let US forsake the sea, they say, rather
than go to war to enforce the rights
which maritime law gives us.
This is q thoroughly degenerate view
counsel of establishment unworthy OF
men who call themselves Americans. We
are to-day nation of more than lOO,-
100000 souls. Our resources are llllmlt-
sble. Our military strength is enormous,
although undeveloped. We can afford to
defend our rights. Have we no longer
The spirit to defend them?
When we were a poor, feeble, scattered
people, despised by the far stronger
powers of Europe, we had that spirit.
We showed that we were willing to hight
he French in 1898, when the Directory
encouraged French privateers to prey on
American commerce, hoping thereby to
htimidate the United States into joining
France in war against Great Britain.
The United States was then in des-
,erate condition of unpreparedness. Ex-
Senator Beveridge in his recently pub
isbed life of John Marshall" thus truly
describes the plight of the United States
1t the end of Washington's second term:
War was the one thing America
could not then afford. Our government
was still tottering on the unstable legs
of infancy. Our resources had
been bled white by the Revolution and
the desoiating years that followed. We
had no real army, no adequate arsenals,
no efficient ships of war.
Yet we had self-respect. We turned
our little navy loose against the French
raiders and carried on a successful though
,ot formally recognized warfare until
Napoleon came into power, reversed the
policy of his predecessors and restored
friendly relations.
When the Barbary rulers tried to COL
ect tribute from American ships enter
ng the Mediterranean our government
lid not say: Eve cannot get into quar-
rel with a European or African power;
We have enough to do on cur own side of
The Atlantic" jefferson sent American
.rigates into the Mediterranean and
brought the Barbary corsairs to terms.
We stood on our rights and enforced
hem.
n And when Great Britain refused to
lbandon the impressment Of our seamen
and other arrogant violations Of our sea
rights we went to war with her in 1912,
although our state of military prepara-
hon was even more lamentable, perhaps,
han it had been at the close of Wash
ngton's second term. We made fizzle
IF the war. Our capital was seized and
,avaged But we held out, and Great
Britain tacitly abandoned her illegal sea
practices after peace was restored.
The proclamation of the Monroe Doc
krine never was intended as waiver Of
Inv rights which the United States en-
Ioys on the high seas Those rights came
% us under the law Of nations. They
IRE inherent in our sovereignty. They
rntedated the Monroe Doctrine and they
viii survive it. In fact, the Monroe Doc
rine would be worthless and meaningless
,nce we waived our rights on the high
,eas beyond the limits of the American
continents.
A nation which allowed itself to be ex-
.luded from the free use Of the seas
would fall at once to the level of puny,
secondary power. II we cannot protect
ourselves from European aggression, how
n the world can we make the Latin
American countries believe that we are
,oing 10 protect them from European ag-
yression?
Mr.. Mann's cowardly speech met its
lust response in the speech of Mr.. Len
root, of Wisconsin, the only man within
he present circle Of Republican leader
thip in the House Of Representatives who
las shown himself capable Of real leader
hip in this crisis. He said on Saturday:
II this 1.-THE Mann attitude] is TO be
the attitude Of Congress and the Ameri-
can people, then the days of the Re
public are numbered. We will no long
CT be a nation, for any people too cow
ardly 10 fight for their liberty on the
sea, IL need be, viii be too cowardly 10
fght for their liberty on the land. But,
Mr. Speaker, that is not the spirit OF
the American people, and when the
time comes that will not be the spirit Of
this Congress.
There can be no doubt Of that The
yellow dog Americanism Of Mr.. Mann Is
Il IL IL. II