Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-30
IUsT BE CONSIDERED FROM
TWO POINTS OF VIEW

TWO POINTS OF VIEW
The Westminster Gazette says that
: II one !s to understand what President
Wilson is driving at. his speech must
he considered from two points az view
the immediate point OF view OF the
war, and the more remote one OF the
reconstruction after the war II con-
tinuee:
This proviso is necessary for the
Presidents neutrality in mind and
thought is an ice-cold abstract for
n belllRerent who believes he is fight
ng in the sacred cause OF law and
right. We do not understand how
neutral can expect TO influence these
events If he becins by declaring him
self not 10 be concerned with their
causes and objects. "" do not sec
how he Is 20 control this 'stvpendous
food II he is not interested TO search
for or explore the obscure fountains
from which they burst forth"
Presenting the argument that the
entente allies cannot be expected 70
welcome the implied judgment that
they really are responsible with their
enemies for starting the war the
Gazette continues:
we must regard ourselves in adj
vance against being thought unrea-
sonable or aggressive II we are un-
able 10 accept peace overtures based
on the assumption OF equal guilt.
That being said about the immediate
prospect We should be extremely fool
ish TO write as of unimportant and
nnpracticab!e what the President says
about the reconstruction after the
war"
The Gazette considers President Will
sons declaration that the United States
is willing 10 become 4 partner in any
feasible association Of nations as n
momentous one, and asserts that
Great B-itain's record for century
is an Endorsement of his suggestion
for esta blishing the security Of the
highways of the seas. 1t adds that il
the President means sea power in war
is TO be reduced or limited in such a
way as to deprive us of our principal
weapon and means OF defcnse We
should naturally have n good deal to
say on that subject" But the asso-
citation of nations TO prevent war has
the hearty assent of this influential
newspaper. which says that II the
Presidents speech can be taken as 4
declaration of the adhesion Of the
United States to this idea. it has high
significance; FOR it brings the United
States definitely into world politics
and makes her henceforth one of the
nations that must be reckoned with
in any scheme of international politics.
balance OF power. association of ma
lions or whatever it may be-"
Pointing out that an association Of
nations would be compelled to use
force to prevent any nation from COM
hitting an act of aggression. the
Gazette says that if the United States
Joined with European peacemakers.
economic weapons would come into
play.
The Pail Mall Gazette says:
enforcement of peace is precisely
what we ourselves are pursuing in
what we believe to he the most effec-
tive, indeed. the only way. But IT is
worth while noting that If the Presi-
dent is not partner to that under
taking, and ia obliged to limit his in
terest in the subject to an academic
sphere. his aspirations seem to coincide
closely enough with those objects for
which the allies are making their heroic
sacrifices"
The allies are fighting, the news
paper says, for precisely President