Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1916-12-01
EUROPE CAN TRUST WILSON.
Minister to Netherland Sure He Will
Know When to Offer Mediation -
Knows of No Steps at Present Time.

"A despatch from The Hague says that
regarding peace rumors Minister Van
Dyke gave the following interview:
81 have no information about the
steps the American government is re-
ported to be taking to restore peace in
Europe If | had, of course / could
not say anything at all on the subject;
but as it is, am free to speak of GER
tain points which are matters of public
knowledge.
"The first point is President Will
son S desire for peace and his offer of
mediation at the beginning of the war.
When this was refused he said that it
still stood open, but would not be re-
newed except on tie request of both
belligerents. The first convention of
The Hague conference of 1907 declares
that an offer of mediation, even during
hostilities cannot be regarded by either
of the parties in the dispute as an UNI
friendly act. This leaves mediation
open, but says nothing about the more
important question of when it may be
useful to help toward a just as lasting
peace.
knowing the attitude of the United
States government regarding the pres
ent dreadful war in Europe, I believe
we must trust to it to recognize and
welcome the right moment when its
services will be useful for a peace
which will not carry in its breast the
seeds and sanction of future war
"All neutrals and ma V people
among the belligerents desire, like
President Wilson, to know more clearly
the causes and aims of this bloody con
fict. Many explanations have been
offered from both sides, but every one
of them contained at least one vague
underlined term; this is what needs &c
| be made clear.
"The second point is the proposed
league of peace, in favor of which
President Wilson has spoken so clearly
The vast majority of Americans are
with him not only in his views, but in
his manner of expressing them. 1t is
not league to enforce peace, but 6
league to defend peace when restored
Acceptance by the nations of thC
principle that it is crime to make
war without previous appeal to rea
son, justice, arbitration, or condition
would greatly enlighten the situation
1t would be like an open and univer
sal treaty of defense against such
wars. 1t would condemn all secret
treaties of offense as conspiracies
against the league. 1t would really be
a definition of one of the indispensable
terms of peace in the present situation
1t would also be one of the bases fol-
the rebuilding of international law
which has suffered in this war like q
cathedral under bombardment.
"Would it do away with aggressive
war; Perhaps not; but it would make
it vastly more perilous. 1t would ex
alt right above might and pledge all
nations to defend the appeal to reason
and justice before taking the sword.
"Who would insure the keeping of
that pledges
"There IS no absolute guarantee for
anything in this world, but in this case
there would be three reasonable safe
guards: First, the preparedness of the
nations to maintain their pledge by
force against any one of their number
tional interest as bound up with the
interest and welfare of mankind; third
and ultimately, the force of an en-
| lightened public opinion everywhere
recognizing that aggressive war il
simply a violent interruption of the
process of civilization. Unless man is
a beast, such public opinion must be
the final tribunal for all great cases
Securus judicat orbis terrarum.