AMERICA'S ATTITUDE

NZ Truth, Issue 483, 19 September 1914, Page 3

AMERICA'S ATTITUDE

And Her Opportunity, The first files of American papers containing articles on the war are to hand this week, and make very interesting reading. The San Francisco "Argonaut" has a masterly summing up of the position m its first 3tages. It says: — "In tones intended to enforce conviction, and no doubt, convincing •.nough to those who wish to be con.inced, .William of Germany declares hat the sword has been forced into his hand. Desiring peace,, protesting against war, he is forced into war ;nder his obligation to Allies and iirough the jealousness and resentments of malignant enemies. The truth of all this, WiUiam CALLS UPON GOD TO WITNESS. The manner of it is eloquent; but the natter of it lacks what Mr. Roosevelt \ ould call ''punch." It runs counter j plain facts and to normal reasoning. does not resolve doubts which arise n every natural mind." ' This, indeed, comes as pleasing conirraation to the attitude of "Truth," .vhich, right up against brute force aa a. settlement of International disputes, was compelled m common justice, hrougb the unreasoning aggreasiveless of Germany and Austria and their allying of little States, to side with ireat Britain m her protest and m her -ttqmpt to stick honorably to her j-eaty : obligations. / •'.,' ;■ In criticising , Austria's preliminary attack upon ..Servia, the same paper says: , "Austria would not have dared to take this, step independent of German counsels or without assurance of German support. William asks too much of .the world when he appeals for acceptance of this; theory. He may, indeed, convince his own people, who naturally wish to be convinced. But, outside the sphere of immediate German sympathies! the theory that the swofd has been < • ' THRUST INTO WILLIAM'S PROTESTING HAND will not go down. All the world, apart

from Germany, regards this war as a war essentially, and m fact, initiated by Germany under motives obvious m their action, if not m their inspiration." As to the chances Germany has In the struggle, the same paper is very concise and emphatic: " "At the same time it is difficult to understand how Germany can hope to come out of a general European war unscathed. With Russia certain to take fire on her eastern border, with Franco hot m the memory of old Injuries and humiliations and more than eager for revenge on her western border, with England certain to bo roused into action by the affront to Belgium — under these conditions, how can Germany hope to escape ultimate and very serious consequences? Thero appears no rational answer to those suggestions." Then comes a smack at the "amour propre" of the British Empire, which, If not quite patriotic, is at least illuminative as to the opinions which a large section of our Yankee cousins across tho Pacific hold regarding us. The editor says: — "On this side of tho water we have never quite, been able to understand the spirit of England m recent yeaxH towards Germany. ... U Is based upon two considerations. First: < THE ADVANCE OF GERMAN INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE, m spheres which England once monopolised, and which she still regards aa extensively her own. Second: An undefined apprehension that German policy holds designs upon certain parts of the British Colonial Empire, Tho truth is that Germany, m recent years and m many ways, haa been bearing In upon England m tho competitions In tho commercial, world. T,he German stride has been longer and tho pacu quicker. Without conceding it, whllo admitting nothing, England Una. somehow, felt herself on the losing side of a great game of conflicting purposes and interests. Now, In commerce, as m sport, England is over AN UNHAPPY AND A SURLY LOSER. She has come to fear and to hato Germany: and for full twenty years she has been shaping her policies and. m a sense, mustering her forces against the day when Germany and Uritaln should face each other, guns m hand. That day has come. England enters the conflict nominally In defence of Belgium, whoso neutrality sho is under bond to support. To inionse national feeling she adds both a moral and a technical Justification." So, for a moment, wo ''see ourselves as others see us" — a t all limes not a bad thing. By far tho most interesting connlderation, however, Jh tho outlook of America on the complicated Held of European politics to-day. As being In tho category of big nations, sho m tho only onlooker on the game, and her distance gives her exceptional advantages for judging her own position In the scheme of civilised ihinKS. Hero Is a slnb of sensible Callfornlan opinion as to things as they are:-— "Yet it would bo too much lo any that we have no direct Interest m thu conflagration. Whatever tho outcome may be, whoever may win, or whoever may lose there will be prodigious waste, moral and material. Multitudes of men In the prime of life will fall: Industry will- suffer v. universal paralyals; commerce, trade—all the normal and wholesome activities of, lire— wiU suffer distortion and dtatrww. ■

When the like of this happens m any part of the modern world AJLL THE WORLD SUFFERS FOR IT. Loss anywhere, under the modern organisation of society, means loss everywhere." Having dealt thus broad-mindedly and effectively with the material side of the issues at stake, the writer goe3 on to sum up, even more eloquently, the moral considerations that are involved.. > , "The spirit of war is a no less hideous thins than the physical phase of war. When nations array themselves against each other, the effect is to stimulate the whole brood of unworthy passions. War carries with it and leaves m its wake, not merely physical, but moral desolation. It brutalises, not only those who engage iri it, but those to whom,* either far or near, it is a spectacle. So, m any and every view, there is cause to grieve that nations have not found ways to adjust their differences and to work out their destinies unshaken by strife and FREE FROM THE DEBASEMENTS which attend upon the excitements of passion and the brutalities of slaughter." ' . -r; • . ■ As to what the United States may expect to immediately gain from her isolated position is put m the most lucid of manners and with, a moderation and sanity that is worthy of all praise. The waiter says: "Certain men, high placed m our public life, have,' we think, with unseemly promptness and- obvious satisfaction, pointed but possible advantages to come to us In consequence of this immediate war. We may, Indeed, gain something under the : necessities of Europe for food products. Prices of what we have to sell are likely' to advance. On the other hand; the difficulties of delivery will certainly bo great and" the process costly. We have practically no ships m which we can send our products to those m need of them. . . . There would seem to be for us, if this war should be prolonged, an opportunity to build up national and legitimate Interests m regions which. have been lost to us under one form or another of national policy. The great and growing countries of South ' America now look, almost exclusively, to Europe for manufactured-^goods. With the EUROPEAN IMPORT TRADE BARRED, there would appear to be an opportunity for American enterprise m the Southern Hemisphere." -'