The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-17
The Declaration
of lnterdependence
~ Or. FRANK CRANE
Copyright, 1915. by Frank Crane)

III NOHSiucllNx fIeSluent wilson y
speech to the senate and to the world
1t is necessary to keep in mind the great
fundamental fact that is bound sooner or
later to dominate this whole war issue.
And that fact is that the war will
never end. permanently and without max
ing probably another war just as soon az
the exhausted combatants can get their
Windmill never, can never end. except
by radical change in the principles Of
world politics. that is by the substi-
tuition of some form of federation or
world government for the present system
of independent nation groups.
Anybody who is capable of thought ut
all must see that il is either some sort Of
cooperation among all nations or con-
tinued destruction. 1t is the League to En-
force Peace. or some equivalent of that
proposition, or chaos forever.
Mr.. Wilson's address is valuable in that
1t contains this. the only regenerative
idea upon the subject. So far all the dis
tussions in state papers. public pronounce
ments. and even newspaper editorials.
have been floundering in the mire of old
Ideas, such as the idea of independent
natlonalism as against the world. the idea
that wars can only end thru decided VIC
tory, ideas that have come down to us
from the darkness of former ages, ideas
utterly unsuited to modern conditions.
While we may criticize this or that in
Mr.. Wilson's statement, the sound sense
Of the world will recognize the invulner-
ABILITY of his main position. his most inn
portant implication. that war can be def
lnitely abated only by the nations of the
world getting together and cooperating
10 prevent war.
The objection that he United States
must not be associated with other ma
tons to prevent war, because it will be al
departure from our policy of avoiding
''entangling alliances" is silly. OF course,
Washington had nothing of this kind in|
mind when he used that phrase. The
proposed alliance would be an untangling,
not an entangling, alliance.
Our Presidents speech is the first sane
and coherent word that has been spoken|
in the forum of nations upon the ques-
ton of war.
II is the first appeal from responsible
authority, not TO the kings and diplomats.
but directly to the peoples, of the world.
II is objected that his proposal is not
- cnl AkuAI
cannot be done under existing conditions.
But under existing conditions nothing isl
possible except continued destruction. Ill
is time. therefore. to change the existing|
circumstances. time for the ideal, the
impractical suggestion that shall call us
from our insane obsessions back TO plain
common and the humanlties.
The western world has spoken It's
voice is clean of the cobwebs Of medaeval-|
ism. Its tone is pregnant with the fu-
ture
The Manchester Guardian Justly says
of Mr.. Wilson address.
IT IS a splendid policy, nobly express
ed. How will it be received? BY the
peoples everywhere, we cannot doubt
joyfully; by men of good will and en-
lightenment everywhere not less joy-|
fully and with clear perception that
this is no vision Of Utopia, but a we'll
thought-out and justly-framed scheme OF
a man in a great position and versed in |
great affairs.
History may estimate this address OF
our President as a Declaration of lnterde-
pendence Of no less world significance
than the American Declaration of indie
pendence. 4