New-York tribune., 1918-06-11
No Compromise
With Prussianis11n,
Lansing's Demand
Peace, He Says, Won't Har-
monize With Lust
for Power

SCHENECTADY, N. Y, June To-
"Prussianism and the idea of enduring
peace among nations can never be
brought into harmony, compromise
cannot even be considered," Robert
Lansing, Secretary of State, declared
here to-day in m address as honorary
Chancellor of Union College for 1918.
Instance after instance from his own
experience as the head Of Americas
foreign office was cited to prove his
point because, ne asserted, "Ameri-
cans, even those intellectually equip
ped, have but vague ideas of the at
titude which made Prussianism pos
sible."
at is fact not generally known"
said Secretary Lansing, "that within
six weeks after the imperial govern
ment had, in the case of the Sussex,
given this government its solemn
slaughter upon the high seas, Count
Won Bernstorff, approaching the
worthlessness of the promise, asked
the Berlin foreign office to advise
him in ample time before the cam
paign of submarine murder was re-
newed in order that he might notify
the German merchandising in Ameri-
can harbors to destroy their ma
chinery, because he anticipated that
the renewals Of that method Of war
fare would, in al! probability, bring
the United States into the war.
"How we'll the ambassador knew the
character of his government and how
the information without apology or
indirection. The very bluntness of his
message shows he was sure his su-
periors would not take offense at the
assumption that their word was value
less and had only been given to gain
time, and that, when an increase Of
Germany's submarine fleet warranted,
the promise would be broken with
out hesitation or compunction. What
a commentary on 3ernstorff's estimate
Of the sense Of honor and good faith
of his government!
"ln view of this spirit of hypocrisy
and bad faith, manifesting an entire
lack of conscience, we ought not to
be astonished that The Berlin foreign
office never permitted promise or a
treaty engagement to stand in the way
of course of action which the Ger
man government deemed expedient. I
need not cite as proof of this fact
the fragrant violations Of the treaty
neutralizing Belgium and the recent
treaty of Brest-Litovsk This dis
creditable characteristic of German
foreign policy was accepted by Ger,
man diplomats as a matter of course
and as a natural, if not praiscworthy
method of dealing with other govern
ments."
The causes of the war, Mr. Lansing
said, were simply the German desire
for world dominion.
THAT was and is the central thought
Of Prussianism," he said. "It excited
the cupidity of the governing and
wealthy classes OF the empire; it
dazzled with it's anticipated glories and
by it's promise of boasted racial su-
periority the German millions, who
were to be the instrument of achieve
ment. With a devotion and zeal worthy
of better cause, they turned their en-
ergy into those channels which would
aid the ruling class.
I'VE must go On with the war. There
is no other way. This task must not
be left half done. We must not
transmit 10 posterity legacy Of blood
and misery. We may in this great con-
flict go down into the valley of ahadows
because our foe is powerful and Injured
to war. We must be prepared to meet
dlsappolntment and temporary reverse,
but we must, with American spirit,
rise above them; with courageous
hearts we must go forward until this
war is won"