The Washington times., 1921-05-04
WE reprint today parts of an edi-
w torial which appeared in the

common thing good foresight is not
SO common.
I'VE Americans had no hand in fomenting
this war. We have maintained a neutrality
of une xampled strictness and have stretched
our national patience and our national for
bearanee under irritating insults and gross
wrongs as never did q powerful and hign-
spirited people stretch its patience and It's
forbearance before.
And yet he must be blind indeed who can
not read between the lines of contemporary
European utterances the bitter anger which
our just and righteous neutrality has excited
in the hearts of ali the cOmbatants.
ITO be neutral was our high duty. But the
performance of that duty has gained us no
good will. Nor by any stretch of possibility
can it gain us security.
THE one outstanding and overlapping les
son of this war for us Americans to take
deeply to heart is the supreme fact that
THERE is NO LAW WHICH ANY OF THE
GREAT POWERS RESPECE OR EVER
DID RESPECT EXCEPT THE LAW OF
MIGHT.
1.-THE only neutrality that any of them re
spects, or ever did respect, or ever will re-
spect, is the neutrality which faces them with
arms in its hands, which is ready to defend
itself against any of their attacks; and which
does not neglect. while it holds in one hand
the scales of justice, to keep frm-held in the
other the naked, ready sword
During the administration of the first
President we were embrOilGd in hOstilities
with France, owing to the determination Of
the French diplomats to compel us to side
with them in their war against England.
And while the nation was yet in its be-
ginnings we were forced to go to war with
England, owing to the determination of the
British Government to compel us to assist
England indirectly in her war with France.
when the nation was torn by civil war
and struggling for its very life, the British
tto1 amt ptxot ia nrny nm
our commerce, gave aid and comfort to the
armed enemies of the Union, and offered
truculent insult to provoke a war which, as
Mr.. Lincoln remarked with unwonted bitter
ness, il could have when the job on hand was
finished.
I'm the same time of anxiety and peril
the French Emperor, with the encourage
ment of Austria and the consent of Great
Britain, landed an army in Mexico in pur-
posed disregard of the Monroe Doctrine
and with full intent to provoke war, while
the American Government was thought to
be easy of defeat if Frances arms were
added to those of the COnfederacy.
These facts of history are not recited
in bitterness. They are soberly set before
your eyes. citizens, because they are facts
and because it is ONLY BY THE FACTS
RECORDED IN THE STORY OF THE
FIND WARNINGS AND GUIDES FOR
THEIR ACTIONS IN THE PRESENT
AND FOR THEIR PREPARATIONS FOR
THE FUTURE.
Citizens, human nature does not change.
dhe present rulers of Europe are. men
whose passions infirmities, motives and am.
billions are exactly like to those of the men
who ruled Europe before them. The racial
antipathies of TeutOn, Slav, Latin, and
Anglo-Saxon are as strong as they were a
hundred years ago. Orthodox and Moslem
hate each other with the same religious
fervor. Between the white and the yellow
peoples is the same mutual repusion. The
best intellects are employed in the study
of war. The richest treasures emptied
in preparation for ware Immense fleets
claim the lordship of the for this
Power and immense armies claim the lord.
ship of the lands for that Power.
This nation of ours, citizens, this native
land, this dear, dear motherland, this coun-.
try, so abundant in riches and SO inviting
to greed and rapacity exists among IA
tions whose centuries-old habit is war and
whose chief energies and activities are con-
stantly employed in preparing the weapons
of war.
"And the history of these nations, citizens,
clearly shows that none of them has ever
needed any other cause for going to war
than the possession of superior military
and naval power and the prospect of rich
spoil.
a
history, A NATION so RICH AS THIS
NATION OF OURS is MAD IF 1T DOES
NOT STAND READY, BY DAY AND BY
NIGHT, TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST
ANY ATTACK.
an that Providence which gives exist
ence to peoples and metes and bounds to
seas and continents, it has been our happy
lot so to be placed that defense is easy and
sure if we are but vigilant in preparing in
the days of peace for the assaults of the
days of war.
1--WE can beat off the armed attack of
any possible combination of enemies if we
follow the plain dictates of ordinary fore
sight and common sense, and now-now,
while there is peace in the land-begin to
add to our navy such strength that it can
guard the ocean approaches against any
foe that may come
There never was grouped together, in
all the tide of times, a population so pro-
Gigiously productive as our own. There
never was piled up within the borders of
any nation earth such enormous
mass of riches-thousands Of millions upon
thousands of millions-to tempt cupidity