The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1919-01-10
QUO WARRANTO7
New York SUM-

friendly enthusiasm, considerable lat
titude of expression will rightly be &C
corded No American, whatever his
views concerning the propriety of Mr..
Wilson's departure from his post of
duty, will grudge him the enjoyment
of the present hour or measure too
carefully his utterances.
Nevertheless, there are at least two
statements of his in a recent address
in Paris which should not have
passed the censor without examina-
ton, and which cannot be accepted
here at home quite at their face val
ue, even when regarded as incidents
in the exercise of his admirable talent
for festai oratory.
By what warrant, for instances, did
President Wilson inform the city gov
eminent of Paris, at the Hotel de
Vile on Monday, that he led this ma
ton into war on account OF sympathy
for France and Belgium in their suf-
ferings, and indignation at the hide
GUS practices of the Teuton invaders?
His exact language in explaining the
war was this:
81 beg that you will not suppose
that because wide ocean separated
us III SpdCC we WSiC hot IA VIM ~
witnesses of the shameful ruin that
was wrought and the cruel and I'M
necessary sufferings that were
brought upon you. These sufferings
have filled our hearts with indignation.
We know not only what they were,
but we know what they signified. and
our hearts were touched to the quick
by them, our imaginations filled with
the whole picture of what France and
Belgium in particular had expert
enced.
"When the United States entered
the war, therefore, they emtred it
not only because they were moved
by a conviction that the purposes Of
the Central Empires were wrong and
must be resisted by men everywhere
who loved liberty and the right, but
also because the illicit ambitions
which they were entertaining and at
tempting to realize had led to the
practices which shocked our hearts
as much as they offended our prin-
ciples.
"Our resolution was formed be-
cause we knew how profoundly great
principles of right were affected, but
our hearts moved also with our reso-
luton"
Our Neutrality.
That intense sympathy was felt by
most Americans for the sufferings of
the Belgians and the French, that our
people were profoundly indignant at
the nation which inflicted these cruel
and unnecessary sufferings is without
qualification as true as gospel Ameri-
ca knows this, and France knows it,
too. But that President Wilson was
moved by this national sympathy and
indignation to recommend to con-
gress declaration of war against the
invader of Belgium and the devasta-
ton of France does not appear from
the record of his utterances. For
after the violation of Belgium's neu-
trality had amazed the world and
shocked the moral sense of civiliza-
ton and brought Great Britain to the
side of France, President Wilson was
exhorting his fellow countrymen to be
neutral in thought as well as in acts.
He said on August Is, 1914:
"The United States must be neutral
in fact as we'll as in name during
these days that are to try mems souls.
We must be impartial in thought as
we'll as in action; must put a curb
upon our sentiments as well as upon
every transaction that might be con-
strued as a preference of one party
to the struggle before another"
And on September 1904, after
the Hun policy of frightfulness had
developed in its full atrocity, after
the destruction of Louvain, the MUIR
ders and mutilations and rapes and
burning of cities in Belgium and in
northern France had marked the Ger
man government with the brand in
delible. President Wilson judicially re-
marked to a Belgian delegation which
visited him at the White House to
move his sympathy and stir his in
dignation:
Endured for Years.
at would be unwise. it would be
premature for a single government
however fortunately separated from
the present struggle, it would be in
consistent with the neutral position o.
any nation which like this has no par
in the contest to form or express ;
final judgment"
This attitude of President Wilson
was not a matter Of days or weeks OF
months merely. 1t endured for years
1t persisted throughout the entire
period of the accumulation of the hor
rors which proved that the German
government and Prussian militarisn
we're the enemies and assailants o
all mankind. 1t was not before bu
after the assassination of the Lusi
tania that he demonstrated his su
periority to ordinary emotions an'
passions by telling the Americans witt
were urging him to action.
"The example of America must b.
special example, The example o
America must be the example no
merely OF peace because 1t will no
fight, but of peace because peace I
the healing and elevating influence o
the world and strife is not There /
such thing as n man being too prou'
to fight. There is such n thing as
nation being so right that il does. no
need to convince others that it
RIGHT"