Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-02-03

When the German Government an
nounced the resumption of its sub
marine campaign of frightfulness 1t
knew exactly what chance there was
of acquiescence on the part Of the
United States in that policy Of piracy
and murder. 1t knew what we had
said IN diplomatic notes land the
words were always brave enough)
and how far we had fallen short of
making our words good
But it must also have realized that
we could not go on forever pledging
undying consistency to claims and then
abating them. Our many recessions
under German pressure from the
letter and spirit Of our demands, our
many acceptances of much less than
we had set out to exact as a spokes-
man for humanity, as a defender OF
our own rights on the high seas and
as a champion of the rights of neu-
trails generally. has gotten more and
NOR on the nerves OF the country.
There must be q residuum OF self-re-
spect even in a Government or ma
ton which is willing to sacrifice much
In the way Of consistency, dignity and
principle for the sake of keeping the
peace.
The German Government must have
known that there we're certain humil-
iations which the United States would
not submit to-that there were GER
tain pledges Of future conduct on our
part which our Government could not
anord to waive. There is an milf.
mate American position with regard
70 the free use OF the seas under the
sanctions OF international law which
cannot be abandoned, however. ar
rogant the threat Of the law-break
er who wants to make US abandon II
Nothing but a calculated CONTEMPT
Tor our military power-a complete
indifference whether we accent her
challenge TO war or not-could have
influenced Germany to cancer SO
abruptly her promises. made TO MS
after the Arabic and Sussex incidents.
TO conduct submarine warfare with
come pretence OF regard for the re-
strictions Of international law. She
was aware that we could not accent
their cancellation with a shrug of the
shoulders. We had travelled the
backward road too far. Our stock of
amiable accommodation was exhaust
ed. There was a point-and the Uni
ted states had reached It - where
the very case which Il had built up
compelled il to face about and fight.
There rs a moral compuision in
the position to which we have COM
mitted ourselves Ia the eyes Of the
world that we cannot now escape We
have constructed a record Of protest
against Germany's lawless methods of
submarine warfare which we cannot
now run away from without subject
ing ourselves to the scorn of history.
What is the record?
When the "war zone" proclamation
OF February 4, 1915. was issued by the
Germany Admiralty and notice was
given that German submarines would
thereafter destroy merchantmen with
out warning or search our Govern
ment unequivocally challenged Ger
many's right TO make warfare Of that
sort Il said on February 10, 1915;
IF the commanders Of German
vessels Of war should destroy on
the high seas an American vessel or
the lives OF American citizens. il
would be difficult for the Government
OF the United States to view the act
in any other light than an indefens
BILE violation Of neutral rights which
il would be hard to reconcile with the
friendly relations now so happily sub
sisting between the two Governments.
II such a deplorable situation should
arise, the German Government can
readily appreciate that the Govern
ment of the United States would be
constrained to hold the Imperial Gov
eminent to a strict accountability for
such acts OF their naval authorities
and take any step IL might be neces-
sary to take to safeguard American
lives and property and to secure TO
American citizens the full enjoyment
Of their acknowledged rights on the
high seas"
This was the simplest and strongest
statement made OF the American pO-
sition. II was not lived up to; yet
u has never been modified or with
drawn. The Germans did take the
lives OF American citizens. The Lusi-
tania Massacre was preceded as well
as followed by other murders OF
Americans. No strict accountability
for those crimes was enacted. Yet in
All the correspondence with Germany
following the sinking Of the Lusitania
and down to the sinking of the Sus-
sex, the protest of February 10 was
continually paraphrased and elabora-
ted. IL still binds us-in so far as
any unrescinded public declaration OF
policy can bind us.
After the Arabic was sunk Ger
many gave US her promise 10 refrain
from attacking liners without notice
aud warning. But this promise was
not kept And when the Sussex ease