New-York tribune., 1917-12-22
Workers No Longer Sup.
port Any but Gust
Terms for All"
Lean Upon America
Wilson Has Now Become the
Stroke Oar of the
Entente Crew
By Arthur s. Draper

LONDON, Dec 21- IL an observer
to-day concentrates attention on any
one thing, such as the general fooC
situation. the possibility OF an early
decisive victory or the attitude Of Brit
ish labor toward the new manpower
projects Of the government. no opti-
mis;ic view can be taken. But when
the outlook is studied in broad way
1t is perfectly clear that Europe is be
coming saner; that the passions OF wal
are slowly burning themselves out
The people and governments are Civ.
ing more attention TO ways and means
Of ending the struggle than to its pro-
longation. America has supplied the
uplift to the war. The Presidents
declaration Of policy has had fsrreach-
ing effects.
Armageddon is no longer a mere con-
fct between two sets of powers. II
has now passed into aew phase.
Gradually there is growing among the
belligerents force more powerful
than any government, out of which will
develop league Of nations. The work
ers of Europe. who have suffered Sc
yerely. are no less determined to main
tain the security Of their country, but
they want assurance that their sacri-
ijccs are being made for what Asqulth
called "a clean peace" ard nothing else.
Statesmen Wearied
European statesmen are tired. They
are more war weary even than the peo-
pie because their responsibility is
greater. They have few fresh ideas.
Wilson has become the stroke Of the
Allied crew. His job IS 10 keep the
she'll even. 10 steer a straight course
and to hold the stroke up to the high
est possible beat. Only four oarsmen
are really rowing the shell: America,
England. France and Italy. The other
nations are practically dead weight.
The four oarsmen are continually keep
ing better time, and there is improve
ment i'm the rhythm. Noteworthy
progress has been made this week,
though it may not be readily dlscerni-
bic yet.
Yesterdays speech by Premier Lloyd
George marks big advance toward CO.
ordination, not simply in military
and economic sense, but politically as
well. Fundamentally there is little
difference between the views of the
rival schools Of thought in this coun-
try. but that difference is still big
enough to retard the war machine.
Wednesdays debate in the House Of
Commons. which brought out Balfour's
declaration that Britain never encOur-
aged the idea that bit Of Germany
should be cut off from the parent state
and erected into some kind of an inde-
pendent republic or an independent
government 50 as to make a buffer
state between France and Germany
and Lord Cecils statement that
neither he nor any other member Of
the government advocated an economic
war after the war" must be taken in
conjunction with the Premier's utter
ances to-day about German colonies,
Constantnople, Palestine and Mesopo-
tamia.
Germany IS expected to make a new
peace move between now and the end
of the year. and people will have an
opportunity to study it without having
attention diverted by local matters. To
say that the position Of the government
is absolutely secure would be an exag
geration, because no government can
be stable on the fourth war Christmas
unless it has a big balance Of successes
TO show its people.
But the Allies are in infinitely better
position TO meet the winters hardships
than are the Central Powers