The sun., 1916-12-28
A0eslca's Pesittea - % the Allies
and The Central Pewess.

A1ehea's Pesitisn - % the Allies
and the Central Pewess.
Thousands Of Americans have read
With surprise apd sorrow the bitter
comments Of a part Of the British
press, aud likewise Of some Of the
French and Italian newspapers, upon
President WILSON'S well meant but
clumsily contrlved effort to advance
the day Of peace. The expressions Of
the irritation excited among our
friends abroad by the note to the BEL
ligerents, suggesting not a conference
but merely az interchange Of views
that might possibly lead to q confer
eace, have become somewhat less acrid
With the passing days; but there re
mains q world Of misunderstanding
- to the motives which impelled nj
Chief Magistrate to speak as he did
land as he had a right to speak, bar
ring some details to which we have
already referred) In the name Of this
neutral republic and Its hundred mill
ion Of people.
While THE Sun believes that the
Presidents main purpose was to good
eyes legible even in the confusion Of
statements and in~felicities Of phrase
which characterized his note to the
belligerents, and while we give him
full credit for an honorable purpose
which comedies with the hope that
must be uppermost in every humane
and disinterested mind In this our
try, we IRE bound to say that the un-
fortunate document failed to make
the intended impression on intelli-
gences hot with the passion Of patri-
otism. AZ Is the case throughout the
British islands. For warning peoples
Il Is hard and oftentimes impossible
to understand the point Of view Of
friendship that Is enthusiastically
neutral In the sense of international
law. WhenN nation Is fighting. heart
and soul al well as with Its arms. the
word "neutrality"become temporarily
obsolete 80 far as Its own vocabulary
IL concerned. And the misconceptions
arising from this state Of mind were
Immensely increased by the incredi-
bic stupidity of the series Of official
explanations that followed the note,
the explanations Of explanations. the
disavowals of intention and restate-
ments Of intention, and the promises
Of further explanations yet to come.
Little wonder that the English rom.
nentatOrs were In a bog Of bewilder.
ment as to what President WILSON
was driving at and 1t may be useful
now. In the interest Of a better under
standing across the water. to cata-
logue some Of the Misrepresentation
nearest the surface Of English and
French comment:
I. That the President was playing
0ermany's game In the most open
and barefaced manner, with the de-
liberate intention Of helping the Gov
eminent at Berlin to get out of the
trouble in which It's own great sin
involved that nation about thirty
months ago.
2. That the President had permitted
himself to become the dupe and I'M
conscious tool of astute German d.
plOmacy ; and that his note was by sim
lister suggestion so timed as to seem
to back 'up with neutral support the
previous o~vertures Of Germany her
sell. The explanation from Wash
ington that the American note to the
belligerents had been projected and
substantially finished before Germany
proposed going into conference over
terms Of peace did not entirely remove
from English minds this unfortunate
misconception.
8. That the motive actuating Mr..
WILSON was a petty and vainglorious
desire to inject his own personality
into the situation with a view to
prestige and historical renown SINH.
lar to that acquired by President
ROOSEVELT by his move for the set.
Element Of the Russian-Japanese war.
Here. - In other instances, the Pres.
ident's W language lent color to the
mistake; for Mr.. WILSON, In his note
published on December 81, actually
suggested the suspicion by his char
~acteristlc and unnecessary disclaimer
Of any wish ITO play a part In con.
nectiQn with the recent Overtures OF
the Central Powers"
4. That the President was interced.
ing for peace In Europe simply and
solely to avert further complications
with Germany In the matter Of sub,
marine activities affecting American
lives and property. In other words
that the motive Of the note was ma.
tional cowardice, and that Germany
used this cowardice to further hei
W aims. Here again the mistake
found support In the Presidents OWL
words; for he specifically Informed
the several Governments he was cd
dressing that his concern fur an early