New-York tribune., 1918-09-23
On into Gerr1any-slogon
Of the American troops IN France.
Guilt as Such

A while ago secret diplomacy was the
goat-object in all discussions touching
the origin of war. 1t was righteously
denounced on every occasion, especially
by pacifsts, intellectuals and liberals.
We had the picture Of diplomats around
a table higgling and bargaining and
threatening in cold, inhuman terms, and
betraying people again and again into
wars they knew nothing about-until it
was too late. The Russian Bolshevists
were treated as heroes for publishing all
the secret treaties they could find In the
state pigeonholes at Petrograd. They
went directly themselves and made a
secret treaty with Germany, but that,
perhaps, was only to prove that mankind
was Trailer than its ideals. At all
events, secret diplomacy was to be made
an end of because it was cold, hard and
nercenary, lacking any moral sense or
attributes whatever.
But the curious fact is that those very
persons who so convincingly damned the
old diplomacy are now talking of peace
by the diplomatic method, calling it one
time a peace by understanding again a
peace Of acQuiescence, then peace lib
cral, or q peace democratic-meaning
always 2 practical peace to be evolved
in remote and secret conferences, as al
ways before. They see no inconsistency
in this; but at least they feel one, for
they have at the same time stopped
denouncing the ancient technique of
diplomacy
Obviously, a practical peace could be
achieved only through diplomacy; and
diplomacy to arrange such peace would
require the hated table, the sequestered
chamber, the subtle language, the une-
notional detachment and all the acces-
sories which were to have been abolished.
Therefore, what is now solemnly pro-
posed by the pacihsts, liberals, ct al, is
nothing less than that the war shall be
ended by the same sinister priestcraft
which they charged with having brought
the deluge to pass.
Diplomacy in this light is the name Of
an evil god Men trample upon it in
rage as the source of misfortunes which
they have brought upon themselves
Then, unable to escape from those mis-
fortunes, they become superstitous and
would reverently gather together the
pieces and restore the outraged image
But 1t is not so. Diplomacy is func-
ton OF government 1t expresses the
felatlon OF one government to another,
and 1t is cold, calculating, selfish, heart
less, hlggling and practical for the sim
pie reason that people have never dele
gated to their governments the power to
make moral decisions. Therefore, the
relations between governments are pure
ly material or as we say immoral
An individual may say: "That piece of
property claimed by my neighbor really
belongs to me- 1t has been in my family
5or ten generations. He is wrong as to
where the old fence was. However,
rather than prove the title in mortal COM
bat Will let him take it, l shall sleep
when he cannot
That is moral decision within the
power of every individual to make touch
ing a private concern.
- 10 d utt!SlOll no government could
make-not hitherto-for the reason
stated, namely, that people have never
delegated that power to any government.
Therefore, diplomacy is limited to CON
sderations Of a practical and material
character only.
1t follows that the relations between
governments are on a lower plane than
those between persons. National moral
1ty is inferior to private morality. Ma
tons are not held to account for criminal.
unlawful and outrageous acts as indi-
Vlduals are. In private relationships
guilt is personal and shall be atoned for,
In the case of nations it is impersonal
and historical only
IT the guilt of Germany could be per
sonltied in one human figure, imagine
with what utter horror it would be re-
garded by all normal people, and how inl-
possible it would be to think of admittinp
1t to human society. Yet it is proposed
that thewar shall be ended by a peace of
acqulescence, and that Germany shall be
ieadmItted to the family of nations.
NO instance is known of one nation
'nst passing and then enforcing moral
judgment upon another If once it were
done all history would date from that