New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-05
No Separate Peace

war is a decision made by the people and
not by the President or by Congress. Both
Tie executive and legislative branches OF
cur government have chosen to follow the
leadership Of the people rather than to
impose upon the people their own views
and their own policies.
When Italy entered the war the German
Ambassador who had been sent from Der
lin to Rome to keep Italy neutral SAID
oriolv The street has won" Prince Won
Ralow meant that the people Of Italy had
decided for their rulers and for themselves
and that German influence had failed be-
cause it had not reached the people.
The situation has been the same IN every
democratic country. In our own nation
millions Of Americans have sat IN Judg-
,ocDt upon Germanism during the past
tbirty.two months Not easily, not read
ilv. could they bring themselves to believe
that America had part in this war or an
interest i'm the issues at stake. For long
months they resisted the evidences of their
senses and continued to believe that the
world was being convulsed by one more
war growing out Of European rivalrles
and the ambitions Of European nations and
not out Of conflict between ideals which
were their own and ideals which sought to
destroy their own.
It is the supreme and enduring merit
If Mr.. Wilson's message TO Congress that
he has therein set forth the verdict OF his
fellow countrymen and pronounced the de-
liberate judgment of the American jury
that the war in Europe is war between
autocracv and democracy, and that the
United States enters the war as cham
rion Of democracy, associating itself with
those nations which have long been fight
ing for liberty.
And since we go to war to defend and
maintain democracy there can be no peace
and no thought of peace until that pur-
nose is achieved. We have, through the
President. accepted a place in the ranks
of the nations united against Prussianlsm
We must maintain that place. We must
continue TO perform our part until Prus-
sianism ceases to be a menace to civillza-
ton and Germany is thrown back behind
those frontiers which are the boundaries
between the German people and the rest
~ the world. Nothing is more necessary
now than that the people of the United
States should recognize that peace IS no
longer a possibility for them, precisely as
it is no longer a possibility for France or
for Britain, until the war is fought out
and the decision is reached.
We enter the war, as the President has
so nobly said, without selfish ambition,
without desire for conquest or indemnity.
We are entering the war to share III the
struggle to preserve the liberties men Of
many races have achieved for all mankind
in the battles Of the past. But as we en-
ter without selfish ambition, without self
ish desire, we must endure AMI sacrifice
and share the world burden until the
world danger is past. America must DO
her part in association with the nations
which hold the same faith she does, and if
we 20 into the battle line we must not
leave it until the victory is assured.
There must be no separate peace. There
must be an agreement between the United
States and the Allies now fighting Ger
many to this effect The United States
must bind itself TO stand with France and
with Britain and with Russia until that
time when German defeat insures the
safety Of democratic ideals and institu-
tions. We may speak with influence; we
NAV serve the cause Of humanity and
Justice when at last those nations which
have fought are gathered about the council
board; but we shall have no influence and
no voice if we do not share in the strug-
Gle. if we do not now fully, freely, utterly
stand with those who are our natural
allies against what has become common
,aril NJ all mankind
There will come from Germany hence
forth many proposals Of peace. New eff
forts like the past will be made TO separate
nation from nation; 10 divide those who
ore hound together by a common duty and