New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-05
This Is Not the Time to
Talk of Peace, Belief
There.
TONE OF MAIL NOTE
IS DISAPPOINTING
Language as Stern as Protest
Against Lusitania Sinking,
Says Toronto News"


Toronto, June If at the end Of
the Shenandoah Valley campaign. or at
the time Of the deadlock on the Chick
ahominy, or after Charlottesville, the
Prime Minister Of England had under
taken TO press upon the people Of the
United States the desirabiity of max
/ ing peace he might not have received a
very warm reception. lie could, of
course. have built up a very affecting
case a. to the horrors of war as oxem-
plifed in the internecine strife Of the
American civil conflict
If he had wanted to put forward his
own interests he could have declared
D in ringing tones that the rights of the
/ British people were being trampled
/ upon, that their trade was being inter-
fered with, that millions of mill hands
in Lancashire were ruined, their wives
and children starving because Of Amer
ica's madness.
Consideration OF the illustration
will give an idea of the reception here
accorded President Wilson's latest
peace speech. It may be said, however,
that the speech, read in the British
dominions with the keenest interest,
did not arouse any rancor. Rather the
reverse is true, because there is a dis
position everywhere to give full credit
to his good disposition and desire to
be Of service But it is felt this is not
the time to talk of peace.
Assert Wilson Is Mistaken.
Apparently President Wilson and a
large number of Americans believe
that the Allies are reaching a state Of
exhaustion, that while fighting on with
grim determination they feel their
power slipping away from them and
would welcome any outside interior
cnce which would bring relief. IL IS
q point which cannot be argued. One
can only assert it is not true and ask
that for proof the event be awaited
It was President Wilson's speech 10
the National Press Club, in which he
again defined American neutrality, in
which he spoke Of the nations at war
being mad without making any dis
tinction between one side or the other,
/ between the rights and wrongs of the
issue, that has given offence in British
communities II is nobody's business
! IN Canada what are the views Of the
I United States President. but very
Britisher who read that speech felt his
/ heart sink within him as he recognized
the Presidents meaning. To be mis-
/ understood by ones fellows is always
( q catastrophe
/ The Presidents more recent speech
on peace was regarded as reasonably
satisfactory in its exposition OF the
issue and Of the part the United States
would seek 20 play in the affairs Of the
nations of the world after the war. Ac-
/ cording to the reading here of the
/ Presidents remarks. this part is the
/ part the Allied nations are trying to
/ play in the war,
/ Hope He VIII Not Press for Peace.
There will be sincere regret If the
/ President Immediately carries into ef-
/ feet his expressed intention of more ac-
/ lively seeking to bring about peace.
The peace talk of recent months has
all emanated from Berlin, and there is
10 doubt this will continue 10 be the
situation. While it would be I'M
doubtedly grave injustice TO the
/ President TO accuse him Of playing Ger
many's game, il Will be impossible to
/ prevent that Interpretation being put
on any active move he may make TO ad-
vance Germany's propaganda.
II. A H. . "a
mails there has been some, but no gem
/ eral, criticism. Americas right 10 ex-
/ pect fair treatment is universally rec
/ ognized. As 20 the tone Of her demand.
/ "The Toronto News" voices the view Of
/ those who are disappointed. 1t says, in
part:
"Can we repress all feeling of irrita-
/ tion when a message from the govern
ment at Washington protesting against
/ British interference with the mails Is
written in language as stern and nina
/ tory as n protest against the sinking of
/ the Lusitania? We suspect that if a
/ British torpedo had sunk the Lusitania
/ there would have been swift demand
/ for reparation. A fame of wrath would
have swept across the Republic. War
would have been almost inevitable.
I'VE do not suggest that the United
! States should enter the war. We have
nothing, to say in American domestic
POLITICS. But the government Of Wash
ington should not place Great Britain
and France on level with Germany.
1t should not take advantage of the
minor inconvenience, which neutral
countries cannot escape, to nag and
ombarrass the free nations which are
making sacrifices, unprecedented in hu-
man history. to maintain the institu-
tons and ideals of which the United
States has always professed to be the
- Dclnl .,11arLinn We do not helinun