Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-02-12
WILSON TRYING TO KEEP
THIS NATION OUT OF WAR
Resisting Clamor Of JIngo Element
and Argument That He IS
Losing Time.
DECISION MAINLY WITH HIN
Reasons for Longing to Prevent
America From Entering Into Eu-
ropeaD StrugsIe-No Man Gun Say
What Next Few Days May Bring.


MEM YORK. February il--David
w. laurence. Washington correspond
ent of the New York Evening Post.
sends the following dispatch to his
5, paper:
Jus, q week ago to-day. President
Wilson severed diplomatic relations be-
During the seven days of fevcrish dis
! cussion and preparation here for even
i Qualities. German submarines have
/ technically violated American rights.
and. III the opinion OF some persons
! furnished sufficient provocation for
war
But the events u the week in Wash
! ington have emphasized that while
/ there may be technical Justification FOR
! the entry Of the United States into
/ the war while even Il state of war
! may exist with constant attacks on
American citizens in the face Of spc
/ enc warnings from the Americas gov
\ erhiicnt rs 10 the acts that it would
/ consider deiiberately unfrendly," the
situation, nevertheless. as to whether
j 49, ''S''NS.i peop.c sndI abIlIDn
theif peaceful pursuits for war rests
almost entirely with PresIcn, Wilson.
I DESTINY OF NATION
IN WILSON'S HANDS
More ,hau ever before is tho dcs-
Tiny OF the nation in tho hands OF
/ Woodrow Wilson. and. while the
clamor for war increases and tho de-
! mands for large measures Of military
preparation become more urgent, the
! President is himself straiuinE every
nerve not - give in. lie SIN refuses
10 presume. far as public actions
are concerned. that Germany intends
1 war with the United States
lie is kceni% aware of the criticism
| OF the administration for refusing
convoy to American ships. lie r.cog-
I niIcs the merit in the contention tina;
America j. losing valuabi" time. in
waiting for Al overt act" before con
ccntrating her forces and modifying
| physical resources for the fray Hut
MIR Wilson's whole nature rebels
against war. EuroIre's yirility IL being
i sapped. Economic;,liy tho bolligerenta
! are fast reaching state Of eXhaus-
tion dangerous 10 the welfare OF the
, Caucasian race.
America. the only section uf the
n "Ui Ii Aual HAS h"pt apart 50 IdT, not
( sohshly. but for the helpful asks Of
post -bellum days which some nation
must be ready to perform. may be do
in: the world greater service 10y re.
fusins 10 he drawn in than ~ ac-
crpting the German challcuYc,
! The opposite view. expressed III the
administration circle however. is that
an American prestige hangs ia tic
+ balance. ,hat the position of tho United
/ states III the future depends on her
action to-day: that her influence viii
forever h" lost as world power if
she submits 10 German threats to-day.
PRESIDENT MUST DECIDE
! DEGItEE or HELLIGERENl
/ What MIR. Wilson mus, decide there
fore. as events have shaped themselves
now. Is no; so much whether the overt
act, when IL does conc. shall make the
| United States :. beiiipcreut 1T all hut
! the degree Of bellieerency which ;his
country shall attain.
! That is why for the present protec.
! tive measures are alone bcin. cou
sidercd. The action wouid extend to
conveying American ships IN the war
zone and defending tho American coast
against attack. But rs for sending
an army TO Europe. the prevalent feel
! ih6 III the a0hl Inistrat ton is against
it--noi that some do not favor throw
/ ing all Americas resources on tho side
Of the allies for tn" cause Of dcnoc.
racy and civilization, hut because or
7 tho certain opposition OF tho American
/ issues Of war with which so large
a part OF the country rightly or
/ wrongly believes tho United States
has direct concern
\ The suggestion Of an armed ncu-
trality. such history has frcouentlv
| witnessed. approXimates closely The d.
! sire OF the President, should "A state of
war ne forced this country. I,
squares with The notion Of making
Americas part - the coi.aict one OF
/ defense o. neutral rishIsr--activity ON
! the seas alone for the protection Of
/ legitimate American commerce
/ CoaIrcSs 'Will unuucstionabiy follow.
t The Presidents recommendations. n
| he asks fo- authority. as nov. seems
no. UNLIKELY. 10 use the army and navy
to protect American citizens on ,,c
| hit,h seas, such power will bc granted
him ungrudGingly, hut the question of
sending IN cNpeditonary force 10 En-
| rope or entering the entente alliance
AS a coDclliSercn; is quite another mat
TT, and undoubtedly viii be so treated
! I'm the Congress
STILL TRYING 10 KEEL.
NATION our or WAR
I I'm brief, the President is cndeayorinp
/ still TO do all in his power To keen tho
/ nation out OF war. lie is not tanning
| the flames of jingoism. The adminis
tration Is REFRESHING that sort of thing
/ every day. One high official for es
4 ample. said to-day tina, if the Ameri-
can people were acquainted with all
| the indignities and insults which Ger
! many has hcapcd on our diplomatic
i representatives. not only before the
I break IN diplomatic relations but since
| then. il would not he diflic.,lt 10 grouse
war spirit here overnight. The sense
Of honor of the American people. which
\ Is so sensitive to touch wound bc n.