Grand Forks herald., 1917-01-23
Chicago Herald.


President Wilson's address is a
model of straightforward statement
Neither side has definitely renounced
victory but In spite of all that it is
we'll to call attention of the belliger-
ents to the undoubted fact that the
fate of permanent peace is largely
bound up in the terms of the treaties
that will end this particular war. 1t
is particularly timely to admonish
those Americans who oppose the
peace league movement not only that
it involves no "entangling alliances"
such as Washington had in mind, but
that tho sort OF peace it would and
could guarantee must be rooted in the
best ira ditions of America.
ST. Paul (Mnm.) Pioneer Press
It will be wonderful if this remark
able address does not stir up storm
not to be confined to the United
States. The first impression is that
it predicated troubles without prom
Use. that it proposes a program which
will startle without convincing the
American people.
Aberdeen American.
Mr.. Wilson. 1t would seem at first
glance, has been a little precipitate
in his suggestion. Peace; then a
league to enforce it. But with war
gripping Europe, this is hardly the
time for the United States to be lead
ing the way in forcing a movement
which one set of belligerents declare
it Is 100 busy to consider, and which
another set says it will have none Of
under the circumstances.
Illinois Stats Zcituns (Chicago).
President Wilson calmly gave vent
to great words. without any authority
| to bring their influence to bear.
President Wilson not only missed the
psychological moment to bring peace
to cultured humanity and eternal
glory to the United States. but the
president has lost all moral authority
to make demands on the nations at
war from the standpoint of morality,
| because Of his unneutral policy and
his direct protection to munition and
blood usury. He also is powerless
from the standpoint Of might in a
military or political sense. We see
! Mr.. Wilson today in historical pose,
and probably for the last time.
Worcester (Nass.) Telegram.
Some body may vet find an excuse
for President Wilson rushing into the
linelight with banner, signifying
that he Is willing to pawn the United
! States to buy peace for the world.
but in the meantime there will be a
chance to inform the president that
he is not elected to pledge the peace
and dignity of this country to start a
theoretical peace for the world.
st. Louis Globe Democrat.
| President Wilson's address to the
senate was an extraordinary event.
amazing in it's suddenness, spectacular
| in it's setting, disquieting in it's po-
tentialities. admirable in it's purposes.
| 1t is either monumental mistake or
an act that will fill flowing page in
history.
London Paper.
London. Jan. 23.-The Morning
Post describes President Wilson'S
speech as Full of noble aspirations
and amiable sentiments" and declares
that the belligerents feel the desire
for peace at least as much as the neu-
trails.
1T is only when we get down to the
question of how peace is to be attain
ed and maintained says the Post,
that we might find ourselves in dis
agreement"
The paper proceeds to analyze at
length the presidents statements,
meeting them with counter-statements
and appealing to incidents of Ameri-
can history. In support of the lat
ter. it says:
According to President Wilson's
logic. it would have been better for
Lincoln to have met the southern
leaders upon the field. shaken hands
and agreed upon peace. When the
war between Spain and the United
States was still unsettled, would AM
orleans have been satisfied If the F,u-
ropean powers had interviewed and
said: You must make peace without
victory, because any other peace
would leave the sting of resentment
land a bitter memory'-
In both of these cases Americans
would have replied. and did reply,
that the war must be fought to fin
ish until the vanquished accepted the
rictor's terms.
Not Sanguine.
Upon first impression the presi-
dents scheme does not fill us with any
very sanguinc hopes. We remain still
of the opinion that permanent peace
can only be obtained by the defeat of
Germany. We would even say to
President Wilson what Lincoln said to
! Europe at the end of 1861: Y am
quite sure that sound argument
could be made to show them that they