Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-01-24
A Peace without Victory?

dress, and a few hours sleep on it
might help to see its purpose. But in
that we fear the reading public will be
disappointed. for we cannot imagine a
President of the United States devot-
ing his splendid gifts and intellectual
preparation TO the making of record
as a world STARTER.
Mondays was the second amazing
enunciation from the White House
within a few weeks. Each has Gre
ated unbounded surprise at home and
abroad. We need not again call to
mind the apparent accomplishment of
the first Let us consider the possihil-
tiles Of the second.
This utterance of Presiden. Wilson
is a beautiful thing. said in n way that
few men could equal 1t embodies the
highest hope OF Christian civilization.
1t is an ideal worthy the greatest mind,
conception far in advance. we fear,
of the world today. Yet we should dis
like TO feel that such a dream were
impossible of realization at some
stage of human development; perhaps
brought nearer: much nearer, by the
crucible that is melting Europe into
recognition Of the rights of each
other OF a spirit of world justice.
But for practicability at an hour
when SO much of civilization is bit
terly bent on attainment at so wide
" varying angles, can we, could the
President expect a following? Has
he spoken from a deep understanding
~ American expectancy to figure in
the peace Of Europe? Has he voiced
our position" Are we ready to abandon
the isolation which Washington rec
commended, freedom from "entangling
alliances
Such = program as President Will
son has outlined as the American
terms for peace to come, is a splen-
did topic for discussion, but the pro-
posal for such a reversal Of policies
invites "A generation-long campaign of
public discussion and education.
TO our understanding the President
has strikingly pointed out the impos-
sibilty of his own proposal going far,
when he said
is the present war a struggle for a
Just and secure peace or only for a
new balance of power? If it be only a
struggle for a new balance of power.
who Will guarantee. who can guaran-
tee. the stable equilibrium of the new
arrangement 90
The President closely follows this bv
the assertion that, the statesmen of
10th the groups of nations now ar
Tayed against one another have said.
IN terms that could not be misintern-
reted that II was no part of the pur-
pose they had in mind to crush their
antagonists"
Would President Wilson have us ac-
cept these assurances AT tbeir ,ooo
Na'ue? Was the war begun as the on
~ means ~ attaining an ideal peace >
an he guarantee that such furda-
mental change5 as he proposes for
America, are unlikely to be more than
onset by changes in the governments
or Europe before any sort Of peace can
be secured in Europe,
u seems To us that the Presidents
statement OF Americas terms in a
peace with which she have no mart
without invitation can hardly. at this
ume, receive the attention II deservas
10 make its purpose understood We
cannot suggest. much less dictate m
europe its course at time when life
ana death struggles are t1,rnj,,
hundred fields into shambles Had tho
President devoted his attentions 90
per'ec'ion OF existing American poll
cies In all the Americas, an allegiance
TO Monroeism by all the rich and crow
Inc peoples Of the Western Hort.
pnere' win an invitation for approval
by neutral nations Of the world ba
would have inspired a long stem TO-
'' '''H ilt Woulu nave aroused
no strong resentments on either side
among helligerents. He could have
presented the terms demanded by nell
ir9l rights without telling the enemies
of Great Britain that she must SIR
render supremacy of the seas. regard
less OF her purpose in maintaining that
supremacy
The breadth OF the new field of ideal
ism and the scope OF his presentation
precludes categorical treatment. but
most careful re-reading fails to re-
veal 10 us it's purpose-unless il be the
egoism OF splendidly isolated writer.