Strongly Defends U. S. Foreign Policy
Title
Strongly Defends U. S. Foreign Policy
Creator
Unknown
Identifier
WWP20937
Date
1916 January 21
Description
A British editor criticizes the British press for not sympathizing with President Wilson.
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
LONDON.
—The Daily Chronicle devotes the most prominent position on its editorial page today to a defense of President Wilson and his foreign policy. The Chronicle declares that Mr. Wilson occupies a position of exceptional difficulty, adding, that “if the British press and public took a little more trouble to understand him and were more conscious of the absurdity of lecturing a great republic on what its President ought to do, it would be much to the advantage of the Anglo-American future."
Discussing the English attitude toward the United States, the Chronicle says:
“There is a section of the British press that is not treating the United States strictly as a neutral power. They have treated the United States as if they were one of the family.
"Piece of Impertinence."
“A recent number of an American magazine contains a symposium giving the reasons of English writers why America should come into the war. This is a piece of gratuitous impertinence. We have no business to advise Americans what line of policy they should pursue.”
The editorial follows:
“It is understood that the President of the United States is now preparing a remonstrance to the central powers against their inhuman submarine policy. Germany, as usual, is pursuing tortuous diplomatic methods, striving to adopt a course which would not further humiliate her in the eyes of the world, and at the same time not lose her the American good will.“
In the future, the United States has further accounts to settle in regard to the atrocious, for which ample apology, or other reparation, has not been given. In the meantime, the German-Americans employ every kind of underhand device in the hope of creating prejudice against Great Britain and causing, if possible, friction and misunderstanding between us and the United States.
“US With Allies,” Claim.
“While it is notorious that American public opinion is overwhelmingly on the side of the allies, who are fighting the battle of democracy and safeguarding humanity from barbarism, there is a section of the British press that is not treating the United States strictly as a neutral power. The attitude of our press on the whole has been considerate and correct toward the smaller neutrals such as Holland and the Scandinavian countries, and also to Italy before that country became an ally; the same cannot be said of its attitude toward the United States. Our government, as dispatches and speeches by ministers show, has shown all due consideration to the interest and susceptibilities of the United States consistent with maintianing our rights as a belligerent and reaping the fruits of our predominance in sea power, but many of our newspapers have not followed its example. They have not only been severely critical of President Wilson and his policy, but have treated the United States as if they were one of the family.
Adopt Tone of Frankness.
“The two English-speaking nations are naturally inclined to adopt a tone of frankness in discussing each other’s affairs, without any idea of causing offense, but that does not excuse the lack of appreciation of President Wilson’s difficulties and of his policy during the war.
“Some of our writers even go to the length of telling him what he ought to do. We notice that a popular American magazine contains a symposium giving the reasons of English writers why America should come into the war. This is a piece of gratutitous impertinence. We have no business to advise Americans what line of policy they should pursue, nor is it right that we should treat the head of that great nation in a way which might be interpreted as being unfriendly.
Enemy Will Take Advantage.
“We may be sure that the enemy will take advantage of every indiscretion which we commit and of every tactless move we make, in order that they may strengthen their poisonous propaganda among the American public.
“President Wilson occupies what is, apparently, the unenviable position of satisfying neither side—the thankless role of the neutral who aims at being impartial. The Germans do not hesitate to attribute their failure to secure a general victory to the attitude of the United States. Comments in their newspapers, and particulary their cartoons, show almost as great hatred of Americans as of the British.
Activities of America.
“America has objected to the German submarine policy, while they say she has permitted Great Britain to develop new methods of blockade by the exercise of sea power. On the other hand, Great Britain and her allies have been permitted to draw unlimited supplies of munitions from America, including submarines sent to Canada in parts. They have been enabled to float a loan on the American market and have been generally regarded as friends, while the central powers have been looked upon as enemies.“America has put up with all the irritation arising from British interference with commerce, and with the loss incurred by the bringing of American cargoes before prize courts.
Attitude of America.
“Our censorship of American news has been tolerated even when it was no less than indefensible. This trend of American opinion has been gradual and progressive. It has kept pace with the ever-lengthening series of German atrocities in the war; it has been hardened by the duplicities of German diplomacy; it has been embittered by the disloyal and provocative activity of a section of German-Americans who have been the accomplices of the German and Austrian embassies in committing outrages, creating riots and almost instigating civil war in America.
“The personal position of the President has been one of exceptional difficulty. He has incurred the bitter and relentless hatred of all German-Americans. Beside the hostility of this class and the defection of the Bryan democrats, he has put up with the powerful opposition of the moneyed interests.
Some of His Troubles.
“First, there are the great German bankers and their friends in industry. They are against him because they consider that he is too pro-ally. Then there are the other financial houses and moneyed interests who are against him ostensibly on the ground that he is not pro-ally enough, but really becuase his domestic policy is against the interests of the wealthy classes.
“Mr. Wilson is the standard bearer of a great movement. The mass of sane public opinion of the United States and the mass of thinking people, who are now silent, are supporting his policy, but most of the influential American newspapers which happen to be read in England are against him. Some of them, who are against him because they stand for certain interests, put their attacks on the ground that he has not shown some partiality toward the allies. Other attack him more particularly because he is not in favor of a bigger military program.
Position One of Disdain.
“The press of America in this matter enjoys a freedom which our newpapers should not emulate. The President’s attitude, in face of them all, alike is one of quiet disdain and of indifference to what people say about him, whether in America or abroad. He has had to face more obloquy than almost any man who has filled his position, but he believes that he is pursuing the right policy to safeguard the interests of his nation.
“The basis of that policy is the maintenance of treaty obligations and international law, and behind it all there is a strong feeling against the domination of democracy by militarism. If the British press and public took a little more trouble to understand him and were more conscious of the impolicy and absurdity of lecturing the great republic on what its President ought to do, it would be much to the advantage of the Anglo-American future.”
—The Daily Chronicle devotes the most prominent position on its editorial page today to a defense of President Wilson and his foreign policy. The Chronicle declares that Mr. Wilson occupies a position of exceptional difficulty, adding, that “if the British press and public took a little more trouble to understand him and were more conscious of the absurdity of lecturing a great republic on what its President ought to do, it would be much to the advantage of the Anglo-American future."
Discussing the English attitude toward the United States, the Chronicle says:
“There is a section of the British press that is not treating the United States strictly as a neutral power. They have treated the United States as if they were one of the family.
"Piece of Impertinence."
“A recent number of an American magazine contains a symposium giving the reasons of English writers why America should come into the war. This is a piece of gratuitous impertinence. We have no business to advise Americans what line of policy they should pursue.”
The editorial follows:
“It is understood that the President of the United States is now preparing a remonstrance to the central powers against their inhuman submarine policy. Germany, as usual, is pursuing tortuous diplomatic methods, striving to adopt a course which would not further humiliate her in the eyes of the world, and at the same time not lose her the American good will.“
In the future, the United States has further accounts to settle in regard to the atrocious, for which ample apology, or other reparation, has not been given. In the meantime, the German-Americans employ every kind of underhand device in the hope of creating prejudice against Great Britain and causing, if possible, friction and misunderstanding between us and the United States.
“US With Allies,” Claim.
“While it is notorious that American public opinion is overwhelmingly on the side of the allies, who are fighting the battle of democracy and safeguarding humanity from barbarism, there is a section of the British press that is not treating the United States strictly as a neutral power. The attitude of our press on the whole has been considerate and correct toward the smaller neutrals such as Holland and the Scandinavian countries, and also to Italy before that country became an ally; the same cannot be said of its attitude toward the United States. Our government, as dispatches and speeches by ministers show, has shown all due consideration to the interest and susceptibilities of the United States consistent with maintianing our rights as a belligerent and reaping the fruits of our predominance in sea power, but many of our newspapers have not followed its example. They have not only been severely critical of President Wilson and his policy, but have treated the United States as if they were one of the family.
Adopt Tone of Frankness.
“The two English-speaking nations are naturally inclined to adopt a tone of frankness in discussing each other’s affairs, without any idea of causing offense, but that does not excuse the lack of appreciation of President Wilson’s difficulties and of his policy during the war.
“Some of our writers even go to the length of telling him what he ought to do. We notice that a popular American magazine contains a symposium giving the reasons of English writers why America should come into the war. This is a piece of gratutitous impertinence. We have no business to advise Americans what line of policy they should pursue, nor is it right that we should treat the head of that great nation in a way which might be interpreted as being unfriendly.
Enemy Will Take Advantage.
“We may be sure that the enemy will take advantage of every indiscretion which we commit and of every tactless move we make, in order that they may strengthen their poisonous propaganda among the American public.
“President Wilson occupies what is, apparently, the unenviable position of satisfying neither side—the thankless role of the neutral who aims at being impartial. The Germans do not hesitate to attribute their failure to secure a general victory to the attitude of the United States. Comments in their newspapers, and particulary their cartoons, show almost as great hatred of Americans as of the British.
Activities of America.
“America has objected to the German submarine policy, while they say she has permitted Great Britain to develop new methods of blockade by the exercise of sea power. On the other hand, Great Britain and her allies have been permitted to draw unlimited supplies of munitions from America, including submarines sent to Canada in parts. They have been enabled to float a loan on the American market and have been generally regarded as friends, while the central powers have been looked upon as enemies.“America has put up with all the irritation arising from British interference with commerce, and with the loss incurred by the bringing of American cargoes before prize courts.
Attitude of America.
“Our censorship of American news has been tolerated even when it was no less than indefensible. This trend of American opinion has been gradual and progressive. It has kept pace with the ever-lengthening series of German atrocities in the war; it has been hardened by the duplicities of German diplomacy; it has been embittered by the disloyal and provocative activity of a section of German-Americans who have been the accomplices of the German and Austrian embassies in committing outrages, creating riots and almost instigating civil war in America.
“The personal position of the President has been one of exceptional difficulty. He has incurred the bitter and relentless hatred of all German-Americans. Beside the hostility of this class and the defection of the Bryan democrats, he has put up with the powerful opposition of the moneyed interests.
Some of His Troubles.
“First, there are the great German bankers and their friends in industry. They are against him because they consider that he is too pro-ally. Then there are the other financial houses and moneyed interests who are against him ostensibly on the ground that he is not pro-ally enough, but really becuase his domestic policy is against the interests of the wealthy classes.
“Mr. Wilson is the standard bearer of a great movement. The mass of sane public opinion of the United States and the mass of thinking people, who are now silent, are supporting his policy, but most of the influential American newspapers which happen to be read in England are against him. Some of them, who are against him because they stand for certain interests, put their attacks on the ground that he has not shown some partiality toward the allies. Other attack him more particularly because he is not in favor of a bigger military program.
Position One of Disdain.
“The press of America in this matter enjoys a freedom which our newpapers should not emulate. The President’s attitude, in face of them all, alike is one of quiet disdain and of indifference to what people say about him, whether in America or abroad. He has had to face more obloquy than almost any man who has filled his position, but he believes that he is pursuing the right policy to safeguard the interests of his nation.
“The basis of that policy is the maintenance of treaty obligations and international law, and behind it all there is a strong feeling against the domination of democracy by militarism. If the British press and public took a little more trouble to understand him and were more conscious of the impolicy and absurdity of lecturing the great republic on what its President ought to do, it would be much to the advantage of the Anglo-American future.”
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Citation
Unknown, “Strongly Defends U. S. Foreign Policy,” 1916 January 21, WWP20937, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.