The daily Alaskan., 1915-05-07
AMERICA FIRST"

The president Is one of the best phrase maker in American politics, today, says the Boston Advertiser. That B an accomplishment that counts for B good deal, in the long run. It has been one of his strong assets In popularity. He is not naturally magnetic man. Personal iy he has not moved md touched people with feeling of passionate devotion such as Mr Bryan exerts among his own following or which Colonel Roosevelt has achieved. But the president has the kuack of sreecA-making, or phrasing facts with distinctive titles, and his new slogan of America tirst" represents 3 very striking example of that gift.
 In his speech 10 the members of The Associated press, President Will son did not say anything remarkable in th9 sense that be presented any very new ideas, He said that the United States had determined upon the policy of neutrality, not through @ merely selfish motive, but be- rause 1t was the only policy that this nation could follow, If it was 10 keep its self respect. In a way, this is President Wilson's an sver to the recent attack by Count yon Berstortf, as yet unofficially before the government at Washing lon. IL is the presidents reply to ,he appeals from Belgium and the allies, that the United States enter g protest against some Of the Ger man tactics in this war.
 Tn substance the president says hat this war will not last forever, but that the hatred and the jealous res and the recrim'nationS follow ing the war may last for genera Ions afterwards. While the hostili- ties last, Mir. Wilson says, we must 50 conduct ourselves as to retain as far as possible, the re- spect of the great nations which nave been drawn into the maelstrom After the~'war is over, there will come the time when the United states will loom prominently in the readjustment of affairs Apparently the president believes that when the war Is over, al Europe will turn with one accord and beseech the United States 70 be the arbirra- tor. the pncificator of the world. intimations to that effect have been common enough in this country, of late, and undoubtedly the White House has been the means of in spring a widespread belief of the sort.
 Frankly, we are by no means convinced, in our own minds, that this is going to happen. It may be deliciously soothing to the Am e-ican temperament in q period which has been one of continued stress and strain ever since the war cloud burst iH that midsummer deluge of last year, to think that when the clouds vanish, and the dove of peace should reappear, bear ing the olive branch, the first fig ure out of the ark you'd be the loaR, gaunt simulacrum of Uncle sam, as the arbiter Of the deStinieS of the whole civilized world. Nor have intimations been wanting from :As neutral figures of Europe, tc :he same effect. So Of late it has hceR taken for granted, very widely. ;. this country, that the United states is certain to mediate between :hc warning nations, and that the government at Washington will pre- sl.-e over the peace negotiations.
 It is worth some notice, however, that no intimations to that end nave come from the principals in this great var. Neither Germans nor the allies have had many mes 5ages, of late, save those of criti- cism of the American policy in various details. AS a matter of hu- man nature, what interest have the combatants in waiying their own de- and in agreeing to allow the United States, which has so studi- ously kept out of the struggle, to -tcp in at the end and to reap whatever advantages there may arise from the situattOn?E True we In this country have a high and in