New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-03
''Inemcacious"

mat note TINS passage OCCuIS' Inv
Spanish government, in answer to the
initiative of the President Of the United
States, knowing the various impressions
produced, believes that the action in which
Spain is invited TO participate will be in
effcacious.'
Spain is an important neutral-the most
important neutral left in Europe. She has
been discharging-as the United States
has been discharging-the duty Of repre-
senting the interests Of one group Of the
belhgerent powers at the capitals Of the
other group. She has had much the same
opportunity as the United States has had
TO watch the progress Of the war from the
inside.
She has also suffered, as the United
States has. from the illegal and barbarous
warfare conducted by German submarines
Her people have been vexatiously ham
pered. as the people Of the United States
have been, through restrictions put on
their commerce with other neutrals by
the blockade policy Of the Entente ma
tions. Spain has therefore as much reason
to wish TO see the war ended as this coun-
try has.
Her government, like ours, has been at
times on the verge Of a diplomatic break
with Germany on the question of subma-
rine outrages. The renewal Of indiscrimi-
nate warfare on Allied and neutral mer-
chantmen which Germany, now equipped
with formidable ocean-going submarines,
is threatening for next spring would con-
stitute even more Of a peril for Spain than
it would for us, since Spain's coasts touch
waters-the chief area Of submarine oper-
ations-which form the main route Of COM
Uunication between Western Europe and
the Allied military bases in Macedonia and
Egypt.
It is to SPANS interest TO do what can
he done To end the war II would also re-
dound TO her governments reputation as a
spokesman for humanity to urge on the
two sets of belligerents as speedy an &C
commodation as possible Of their differ
ences. Yet with equal temptations to act
as a peacemaker Spain has not acted as
such. and now firmly declines 20 hold up the
hands of President Wilson in so far as he
has assumed that role.
Spain is not Indifferent 20 what she
Justly calls "the noble desires Of the Amer
lean government" She, too, would wei
come an opportunity to associate herself
with negotiations TO facilitate 1.-The hu-
manitarian work Of ending the present
war" But she realizes, from her first
hand knowledge Of conditions in the two
beHigerent camps, that the time to start
such negotiations has not yet arrived
That is a belief which many Americans
rhare. In spite Of their respect for the mo-
lives which induced President Wilson TO
send his recent peace note to the belliger
ents. II Is The Tribune's belief frankly
expressed at the moment when the peace
note was made public and still firmly ad-
hered to.
As much as we in this country desire to
see peace re6stablished, we must neverthe
less recognize that peace can come only
when both sides earnestly prefer it to
continuance of war-when both are ready
10 make very substantial concessions In
order to end the conflict The war is not
likely TO be fought to a clear decision. The
signs now point to a draw in the military
sense. Germany is manifestly eager to
conclude peace while the military situation
Is still greatly in her favor. But the
Entente powers do not feel justified in
using the present war map as a basis Of
peace negotiations. They are determined
20 make one more colossal effort to alter
the balance to their advantage-to estab-
fish a superiority which would justify them
in demanding from Germany not merely
rectifcation of boundaries and a return TO
the status ono Of July 81, 1914, but also
reparation for wrongs done by Germany
and guarantees against a repetition Of such
wrongs in the future.
The government Of Spain sees more
clearly thar our government did that De-
rember. 1916 was no time for a neutral
movement in the interest Of peace. Great
Britain. France and Russia had just re-
organized their Cabinets with a view to a
more aggressive and efficient prosecution
of the war. Mackensen was Just complet-
Ing the occupation Of Wallachia and the
Dobrudia-an occupation accomplished
with an ease which had caused the Entente
nations the intensest modification.
Whatever may be Germany's real anx-
letv to secure peace, she could not but sp-
near, in offering to open negotiations, TO
confer a favor on the enemy-to suggest
an accommodation Of differences with the
,ondescension Of an assured victor. For a
neutral nation TO intrude a peace sugges-
lion at that particular juncture showed
certainly a lack Of tactfulness-an impa-
uence which grasped at what it wrongly
,ook to be the happy psychological moment
The Spanish governments judgment was