New-York tribune., 1918-05-17
Understanding
To the Editor of The Tribune

10 the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir Americas business is to kill Ger
mans ana forget peace. In such national
analr we are not Republicans or Demo-
craVs or Socialists, but Americans, all of us,
ana The business is not PARTISAN but cooper-
a'Ne. Inc President is the superintendens
OF the business, in carrying out the national
VIII ana purpose to make war, and, so lonp
as ne holds himself under the command of
that will and under the whp and snnr ~
that purpose, he will be able to count unor
and VIII receive our undivided and heartv
'oppoi'' ouch a support is perfectly con-
sis'ehs with helpful and good-tempered
ci'''clsm OF the ways and means adopted in
.ne conouct OF affairs. But GRANTING his
loyal'y 10 TINS national business. ho n,ns+
nave not only our negative but orr nosi+;,o
ana constant support and aid at all t;,,o,
WIN that end in view, it is an unhannv c;r-
comstance that, unlike England noss;hlo
uelec's Oh temperament have made imnos-
s'oie the early formation of coo1;t;or
cabinet. But let that pass.
NO harm can come, and much GOOD NAV
"r1se' from criticism, for example, Of snci
matters as the alleged blunders with Ans
'fla' bulgaria and Turkey, the failure +o
understand the proper modern fu,ct;o,.
OF court martial under our const;tn.;ona,
system, and the hrcakdowns in orlnonuo
ana aviation work; but, on the otbar how'd
grave national prejudice NAV resu1+ fro~'
purely personal criticism of the pros;do,,+
Tor instance as pacfist and profass;on.1
redagogue. disqualified by nature and +r,;,
ing for the management of th;s ,,,a l.
ness especially when it appears that such
.'''ic's" IS oascd on fundamental misun-
oers'aholhgs OF recent Presidential ut,ar-
ances "''ei-
IL is universal rule of internre+o+;o,,
1hat one mnstv look at thinr as i. ,,ho1.
and seek the general intent without rooar,,
to possible onsistencies v,bich ;s.,
parts, when detached, may perbans u,for+,,
nately exhibit. In the light of this f.,,;,;,.
4u'e' "o one can doubt the Presidents
''e@'''s' VI course, ne knows the dominat
ing national viii and purpose to fiebt--t,
Is"' until victory shall destroy, or cornne1
t'e herman people themselves to DESTROY
''e RUSSIAN military autocracy. And of
o'u'Se, DIS faithful administrator of the
peoples will, but not as a "ph;l;n ~,
administrator" he intends fully to carr,,
cut that purpose. When, therefore in 49,;
last Baltimore address, he has again lnar,
cnance "nhapplly) spoken of his persona,
Willingness "even now," to- discuss neaco
~ must be assumed, as, indeed, he immed;
ately proceeded to make clear. thu+ IN oo
cordance with his general intent. he near.
4 peace of justice and rghteousness-th.+
rs an American peace dictated by the
..e sactory OF American force, as he says.
lorce without stint or limit, the righteous
ana triumphant force which shall mako
r'ght the law Of the world and cast everv
selfish dominion down in the dustn and
which shall, it may also be said H..
crush for all time all militarism and tho
autocratlc power of the Prussian system
mat is the only peace he is readw to dis
cuss-a peace based solely on American
lorcc and victory, which can alone mako
the world safe for democracy" In his
CLARION call to arms he has told us that
the right is more precious than peace"
and IN this very Baltimore address he has
declared tnst our acceptance of the Ger
man challenge to force Shall appear in
the utter sacrifice and self foroetfn]nos,
with which we shall give all that wo lov,
and all that we have to redeem .tba wo.,,
and make it fit for freemen like ourselvo.
10 1--we IN. This now is the meaning of oil
that we do till the majesty and
might OF cur concerted power shall fIl
the thought and utterly defeat the forcn
OF those who hout and misprize what wa
honor and hold dear" And, in tho samo
relation, in referring to the reason for Ih;s
great war, he also insists upon "the naad
to fight it through"
And so let US have done with all bicker-
ing personal criticism. Of course the
president is supporting the national mr.
pose to crush autocracy by victor's peac.
of course, he would not dare do otherwise
even If he had the will, and, of course. his
Will and his whole heart are IN this national
work.
Then stand by the President in this hus.
ness, and kill Germans and forget peace
Down Eros, Up Mars" Down with shillv.
shaly. Up with shot and she'll and "forca
without stint or limit" And, Mr. President
the voice of the people tells us that Won
must even let us have the medicine and
tonic of court-martials for "those who Aon+
and misprize what we honor and hold dear
So let it be. FORTITEk IN pE
Bureau of Public Tpf1ar,r..: