The Washington times., 1916-12-28
PRESSURE ON THE NEUTRALs

PRESSURE ON THE NEUTRALs
II will not be seriously assumed, in
this country, that Germany succeed
ed, by any process Of applying pres
sure to neutrals, in compelling Pres
ident Wilson to send his note sug.
gesting n peace effort. But there Ia
convincing testimony that Germany
has been holding over minor neu-
trial states the threat Of a pressure
more severe than has yet been APP
piled to them, and that this has much
to do with certain developments in
their attitude.
Foremost, Of course, is the in
creasing violence of the submarine
warfare; the relaxing Of regulations
calculated to guarantee lives and
non-contraband property. Holland,
Denmark, and the Scandinavian
countries, crushed between the OPP
posing groups Of belligerents, fore
see the most disastrous results II
the most extreme measures which
Germany threatens shall be carried
into effect. For months past the
German attitude has been that Of
holding her submarine club over bel
ligerents and neutrals alike and die
tating: snake peace now, on my
terms, or down II comes" The neu-
trail that hesitated might consider
what happened TO Belgium; what
punishment was melted 10 Serbia, TO
Roumania. Holland knows that her
control Of the lower Rhine has long
been, in the Prussian mind, the con-
elusive reason why Hollands very
existence was inconsistent with the
ultimate ambitions Of Germany.
Denmark hes schleswig -Helstein in
her thoughts, Norway and Sweden,
despite that naturally they incline in
sympathy toward Germany rs
against Russia, have felt the power
Of German maritime ruthlessness.
Switzerland has been surrounded by
belligerents, reminded every hour Of
the fate that may be portioned to
any minor state that gets in the
way Of the Teuton juggernaut.
The Europcm neutrals. looking on
these things. naturally assume that
Germany has sought likewise TO ter
rorize the United States, the great
est Of neutrals, but in many ways the
least prepared for a great conflict.
They saw two submarine destroyers
cross 10 our very coastline and dem
onstrate how easy II would be TO
blockade our harbors. They assume.
and not unnaturally, that that per-
Torrance was the warning TO the
great American neutral that IL, too,
would feel the weight Of the German
club unless il should loan itself TO
the German purposes. Americans
may feel never so certain that their
President was conscious Of no such
pressure when he initiated his peace
move; they may be perfectly as
sured that he acted only from the
highest, most unselfish motives COM
mon TO humanity. But they will
understand how natural for the
sadly beset neutrals Of Europe to
believe that the pressure has been
felt, and has produced results. on
this side. There is, indeed, plenty
Of voice for the suspicion that the
President was moved, in part ut
least, by realization Of the danger Of
a submarine warfare on our coasts.
Using its club thus, what does
expect TO gain? Evidently.
a united effort by the neutrals to
compel the entente into a conference
where they would be at a supreme
because Of both the
position and the div ision of
interests among them. No peace
made under present conditions can
impose upon Germany guarantees
for the future. None can give Ger
many less than a great accession of
in the world. None can
be made that will not involve a
menace to Russia's future, to Brit
aims empire, to Frances integrity,
to Italy's ambitions for reunion of
all Italians in security and sufficient
power to sustain themselves in the