The Washington herald., 1917-02-26
What Leading Newspapers
Say ON the War Situation
The Now RepabIic.

nos ASo1AhS ANS"oPoPSlo
Say on the War Situation
The New Republic.
insufficient attention has been paid to
one aspect and consequence of the failure
of the American liners to sail from New
York. The company which owns these
boats has contract with the government
Of the United States to maintain a regu-
lar weekly mail service between New
York and Liverpool The object OF this
contract Is obvious. Al a time when il
was more profitable to operate ocean
liners under other than the American
nag, the government was willing to pay
q private corporation literally for the
purpose of keeping alive a regular Ameri-
can mail route to Europe. Thus the
American line was operating I'm a very
real sense a national service. All over
the world mail-carrying has been made
IA government monopoly because the GER,
tainty, celebrity and cheapness of postal
communication Is essential to the safety
of a modern state. The American nation
could tolerate the idea of allowing most
Of Its foreign trade to be carried in alien
boats, but Il could not tolerate the idea
OF keeping open our mail communications
with Europe. AS long as the mails were
travelling in part under the American flag
on foreign governments for the privilege
OF communicating with their associates
abroad. At present we are so dependent.
The humilia ting aspect OF the existing
situation is the suspension OF this vital
service Our government has broken
with Germany and threatened war In
order to prevent the high seas from
becoming hostile territory during war;
vet 1t has submitted to the interruption
nr hat art nf intercourse with Eu-
rope which above all others is most i'm
portant II il were not for English or
French assistance no American Noulu
now be able to communicate by man
with his friends and relatives abroad. IL
II were not for English or French ASSIST
ance our government could not communl-
cate bt mail with its representatives
Ia London and Paris. And the govern
ment assumes responsibility for this IN
terruption OF service by consenting 10
a nonfulflment of its contract by the
American line. The contract was written
in part for the purpose of securing man
{ communication with Europe in case Eu-
ropean nations were AT war ana the
United States was not. The United states
Is not at war Yet we leave to nation
which is at war the transportation OF
our mails.
Citizen Soldiers.
New York Tines
Naturally the advocates OF prepared
ness are disappointed because IN trans
hitting the General Stars unlNersai
training bill TO Congress the Secretary
NJ War refrained from giving it his ofti-
cial approval But they must be con-
tented with the victory they have won.
Without the influence Of the campaign
for preparedness which has been so Wig
orously carried on we should never nave
reached this stage. The subject OF uni
versal military training two years ago
WAS discussed only by experienced SOL
diers. Since their experience under So
called militia liberalization the National
(iuardsmcn have become advocates OF
national service for all. In tn" meantime
academic discussion OF the subject has
been carried on in newspape and mag
azines. Lately the idea Of citIzenry
trained for national defense has been
more generally considered and the real
democracy of universal training has been
strongly impressed upon the minds OF
some OF the people. Universal
service has ceased TO he an academic
subject. 1t has become a living and burn
ing question. In past years many sug-
gestions of the heads OF the army have
been set aside by the government. delib-
crately ignored. This plan Of radical mill
itary reform is handed to the legislators
by the administration. The question of
national defense Is in the hands of the
people.
New York Evening Post.
When Senator Lodge is found in agree
mcnt with La Toilette. and Penrose and
Cummins are acting together, the sus-
picion is Justified that some strong par
tisan motive is at work. All the Re
publican Senators, in fact, are reported
TO be determined to filibuster for the eN-
press purpose of forcing an extra ses-
sion OF Congress. They profess TO fear
that the President may seek and use
definite power and get the country into
war without consulting Congress. These
apprehenSiOns are ina Sinary, in our opin-
ion. or else pretended in order TO en-
harrass the President. Mr.. Wilson is
much less apt to rush into war than is
Congress itself. Moreover he is pledged
to take no vital step without informing
Congress and asking authority from II
10 do what is necessary. 1t is certain
that he will not ask for a blanket power
to declare war. II he does. it could not
be given to him. Congress is the war
making power. What the President will
request Congress to do. we shall know
soon. Then it is altogether likely that
the dire possibilities conjured up by the
Of the needful legislation may have fall
ed. on account of the flibuster. so that
the now Congress may have to be sum-
moned at an early date.
Awakening England.
louisville Courier -Journall
Premier George, in his speech in the
House of Commons upon the curtailment
of tonnage, puts forth an effort TO
awaken England to the facts of the situa-
tion. The early efforts of the British gov
ernment to keep the public ignorant
rather than informed about the serious
ness of the war did not stimulate pat
riotism or arouse the masses TO the inn
portanCe of hard blows and often re-
pcated ones upon the continent and else
where.
The latest policy, one of publicity. is
much better than that with which the
British government began the war. For
tunately Mr.. Georges speech was made,
and the additional details of the public
ity campaign will be carried out, at the
beginning of the season of planting in
the United Kingdom.
:" There Is nothing in Premier
Georges speech which indicates that the
courage is oozing from the palms of
Britons. \ great deal OF courage is re-
quired To make such a speech when it
will Ic rubliShad in