The Press Tuesday, January 4, 1910. A Sorry Record.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15478, 4 January 1916, Page 6

The Press Tuesday, January 4, 1910. A Sorry Record.

The sinking of the Lusitania wa£ a crime, monstrous and inhuman, far outsido the rango of what civilised people had thought possible. Tho sinking of the Persia is just as foui a crime, and if the world is not as deeply moved by it as by the earlier horror, it is because use has dullod the edge of our ©motions. Britain will, of course, continue to take practical stops to deal with .the submarines in tho Mediterranean, and will waste no time in words. The question of mdst interest is, Wiiat will America do ? In the Note sent to Britain "in November, protesting against the holding-up of neutral ships, the President said: —"This task of cham- " pioning the integrity of neutral rights " which have roeeived the sanction of " tho civilised world against the lawless "conduct of belligerents arising out of "tho bitterness of tho great conflict " which is now wasting the countries « of Europe, tho United States unhesi- " " tatingly assumes, and to tho accom- " plishmcnt of that task it will devote "its energies, exercising always that " impartiality which, from the outbreak "of the war, it has sought to exercise "in its relations with tho war--11 ring nations." That task was from tho very beginning one for a bigger statesman than th o President, and tho world has seen how wretchedly his Government has failed to discharge it. Tho story of the President's Notes of protest against the • murdering of American citizens on the high sous is, perhaps, tho most painful and humiliating chapter in tho history of a great nation. On February 12th, 1915, tho President sent off his first Note to Germany, announcing that any attack on an American vessel would be " gravely viewed," and might cause serious "complications." On April 28th an American steamer, the Cushing, war attacked by a German aeroplane, and three days later another American steamer, the Gulflight, was torpedoed. Six days later still, the Lusitania was , sunk, and the President resumed his writing of Notes. Surprise and distaste quickly grew as it became apparent that the President had no in- • tention of going beyond the despatch of K

elaborate essays written in a friendly J

tone, warning Germany against, hostile acts, and affirming the American Government's determination to protect neutral rights at sea. The correspondence was not at all disturbed by the sinking of another steamer, the Armenian, involving the loss of several American lives. In another caso Germany apologised arid offered reparation, and two days later attempted to sink an American-bound steamer. On July 21th the President went the length of saying that any repetition of acts contravening the rights of American citizens would be regarded as distinctly unfriendly. Germany's replv was to sink the American steamer Leelanlaw. On August lDth the Arabic was sunk, and an American passenger killed. On this occasion the German Government offered complete satisfaction, and an undertaking was given that in future liners would not bo sunk without warning. The American Government and most of the American newspapers immediately claimed that the President had magnificently vindicated international law! Although it was obvious enough that the real cause of the promised modification of the submarine policy was tho success with which Britain had tacklcd the submarine problem, tho Americans loudly proclaimed a great "victory" for the President, whose name, they said, would bo immortal. In tho midst of these rejoicings camo the news of the sinking of tho Hesperian without warning. Tlicro was naturally a complete changc of tone in America, and the President's value as a champion of international law has not since been much referred to. In November America was again staggered by tlie sinking of the Ancona, under tho frightful circumstances described in another part of to-day's paper. This time America had to address her Notes to Austria, but the President obtained as little satisfaction from Austria as from Germany. Tho American Press were very bitter. "Germany," said tho "Herald," " as- " sumes that this Government can be "kept asleep. Why not? Tho Lusi- " taiiia has been forgotten and filed " away in Mr Lansing's pigeon-holes. 1 ' Tho "Tribune" said that tho Ancona incidont "destroyed the last semblance "of verity in tho assertion that President "Wilson had won a diplomatic " victory over Germany honourable to "this country and useful to all neu- " trals. Ho did nothing of the sort. "Ho capitalised tho success of tho Gcr- " man submarines in the ' Arabic ' case, "but never dared to press tho 'Lusi"'tania' case lest Germany should "flatly decline to disavow it and re"duce his noble diplomatic victory to "kindling wood." And now, on the heels of the Ancona incident, comes the sinking of the Persia. Perhaps wo shall see nothing more than another Note. Whatever tho President may do, however, it is impossible to believe that he will retrieve the lost good name of his country.