The sun., 1916-12-28

PLANTATION OF his course might be mis-
interpreted by the Allies, and how.
particularly from the British point
Of view, such a plea for relief from
trouble might not be regarded with
entire sympathy.
8. That the President was 20 lack
Ing in ordinary perception Of the
moral causes underlying this mighty
struggle as to credit the aggressors
and the defenders with precisely the
same lofty interest in the preserva-
ton Of the rights Of small, weak ma.
lions, and the same zeal in the cham
pionship Of those rights. The unfor-
tunate phrase was this: He takes
the liberty Of calling attention to the
fact that the objects which the states
men Of the belligerents on both sides
have in mind In this war are virtually
the same. as stated In general terms
to their own people and the world.
Each side desires to make the rights
and privileges Of weak peoples and
small States rs secure against az.
gression or denial in the future as the
rights and privileges Of the great and
powerful States now at war" 1t
should surprise no American that this
d%eliverancA which might have been
omitted with great advantage to the
success Of the note In the allied coun-
tries. should be regarded with amaze.
ment by the nations fighting for the
restoration Of the rights Of Belgium.
the rights Of Serbia. To be put by
Mr.. WILSON on the same moral plane
as the invaders Of neutral Belgium,
the d~estroyers Of weak Serbia, was a
classification not calculated to invite
confidence in his powers Of discern
ment; and the fondness Of u Presi.
dent for turning what he regards %
felicitous phrases 10 not yet 20 well
understood in England a. It IL here.
His subsequent metaphysical expla.
nations Of his meaning-that he re-
ferred not to the real ethics Of the
respective causes but merely to the
causes as set forth by the statesmen
on n side and the other. and that
he had no intention Of passing judg.
ment on the sincerity Of the utterances
Of any belligerent-have not bettered
matters much so far as our British
friends are concerned. Nothing In
the whole business has done more
toward minifying the effect abroad
Of the original note than this strange
passage, the bearing and significance
Of which we can so readily compre-
bend here Mt home.
We have taken space thus to cata-
logue and analyze the various theo-
ries Of the genesis Of the Presidents
note entertained in England in order
to dismiss them all and to suggest to
foreign critics the propriety Of dis.
missing them likewise.
Apart from the misfortunes Of
method which have distinguished this
tentative; apart, moreover, from the
question Of the Presidents intimate
purpose In volunteering his services,
the fact remains that he has CON
tributed In an important degree to
the clearing up OF the war cloud In
Europe. The possibility Of a peace on
a stable basis Is certainly not less
remote than It was when Germany's
first approach was met by LLOYD
GEORGES specific declaration Of the
objects for which England Is fighting
and the steadfast adherence of Paris
and Rome and Petrograd to the pol.
icy Of thoroughness and persistence.
The very JOY with which the TeutOn
leaders have applauded the finger
pointing to the place where the
rainbow may soone or later appear
Is a circumstance Of no little signif-
canoe. II the Allies are right In their
cause-and The Sun believes not
only In the justice of that cause, but
also in its eventual triumph-every
Incident that helps to enlighten the
great, honest and c%Ourageously suffer-
Ing people Of the TeutOn nations as to
the truth Of the situation and the USE
lessness Of the sacrifices they are
making In their brave II mistaken
patriotism Is a distinct gain for both
the Allies and the German peoples.
For the Allies because II makes
shorter the necessary task which they
have inexorably set for themselves;
for the Germans and Austrians and
Hungarlans and Turks because, as
we said the other day. 1t enables them
to mobilize and make effective the
moral forces which have been SO long
latent and misinformed.
When these Teuton people Of sense
and civilized ambitions and common
human impulses have learned by de-
grees the truth that is kept from
them for ambitious dynastic reasons.
there Is a beginning Of the process Of
moral realignment, and the sequel Of
the beginning is as certain as the day
that comes after the night. They I'M
derstand well enough already the ex-
tent OF the sacrifices they are max
Ing; when they fully grasp the fact
a.