The Washington herald., 1916-05-29
Talking Of Peace.

Nothing in President Wilson's address at
the banquet of the League to Enforce Peace
may with reason be construed as bearing upon
the termination of the European war or indieat-
ing that any step in that direction is eontem-
plated by the government of the United States.
The great prominence given to the President
remarks and the abundance of opinion expressed
concerning them appear to be the result of a
lpreconceived determination to discover in them
something that would indicate the way to an
early peace. Since the President gave utterance
to no words of promise, there is apparent
reluctance to admit disappointment so his SEN
tences are being pored over in vain search
for hope that does not exist.
Considering that from neither side of the
great conflict has come any ntimation of desire
or expectation that this government shall exert
its influence toward suspension of hostilities
the President said all that could reasonably be
expected. He spoke of war and peace in general
and discussed measures for the preservation of
peace and the rights of nations, without advanc-
ing any theories 1t is true that he referred
to what the people of the United States would
desire eff it should ever be our privilege to
suggest or initiate movement for peace among
the nations now at war;" but he took care to
qualify his expressions with the announcement
that he was not there to discuss a program but
only to "avow a creed and give expression to
the confidence l feel that the world is even
now upon the of a great consummation,
when some common force will be brought into
existence which shall safeguard right as the
first and most fundamental interest of all peoples
and all governments, when coercion shall be
summoned not to the service of political ambi-
tion or'selhsh hostility but to the service of a
common order, common justice and common
peace"
Nearly every one must be quite as thoroughly
convinced the President that the world is
upon the of such great consummation"
as it would seem must inevitably result from the
present But the President gave no ciew
as to how far distant is the day, nor is it in the
least likely that he could have done so il he
would. His address must be put down as with
out the least significant bearing upon the prog
ress of the war, or how long it has yet to
continue
In this country passing through an
other period of peace discussion, when the dis
position all sides is 10 seize upon irrelevant
incidents or unweghed expressions and magnify
them into evidence of the approach of the end.
Yet a. calm survey of the situation shows that
while Germany would welcome peace, no sug-
gestion has come from her Of terms possible of
acceptance by the allies. Certainly no neutral
haNiOh NOul0 convey SCIWdny COnQltlOnS 10
London, Paris Petrograd without giving Of
fense. The allies, on their side, have given no
indication of willingness to listen to any pro-
posal whatever from Germany. 1t may be pos
sible as many believe that the war is deadlocked
but the allies give no sign that they realize it
and making their plans for fighting a year
from Until Great Britain and France
realize their inability to bring Germany to her
knees it is difficult to how the least progress
can be made in the direction of peace; and even
then the beginning will be difficult and the pro-
cess, long and beset with difficulties. At the
moment it may with reason be contendcd
that the prospect of ending the war by triumph
OF arms is less remote than the prospect of bring
ing it to close by mediation. Germany has
risked fabulously at Verdun and utter failure
there alone may explode the theory that the
war is deadlocked. At any rate we are talking
of peace now when there is no peace and no
peace in immediate prospect Mostly it is be-
cause we wish for peace; but do those peoples
whose life blood is flowing in torrents