The Washington herald., 1917-03-27
What Leading Newspapers
Say on the War Situation
MANDATORY F0htetes
Chicago Tribune.)
1. Universal service.
z. American troops to Europe.
>. No separate peace.
Three Mandatory Policies

4 1. Universal service
!, z American troops to Europe.
|, :. No separate peace.
After eentury Of comparative isolation
lor freedom. at least from serious entan-
nnds itsen involved in European war,
la word war.
We I've placed different tags upon our
reiau VI position. changing them from
ftfine me- We have been neutral. We
ftbaver en- on ARMED neutrality. We
lar6 TB B II seems. to find ourselves in
ste II war" But the basic fact is
that ON tie first we have been a vital
factor IN the war, a source OF strength
: to one SGT OF belligerents, and for that
reason, source OF weakness to their ad-
yersaries.
Our course OF action has followed an
assertion of neutral right. But this must
not hide from us any more than II hides
from Germany the essential fact that the
exercise Of his right has been injurious
to the central powers and helpful to their
Ienemies.
II we call the next stage war. and act
upon that hypothesis. we shall only be
lntensifying our participation. nor fun
damentally altering It.
Our isolation, therefore. such as It was.
Is gone. We are and have been, willy
rilly. part Of the world conflict.
The nation is only half awake to this
truth. If It does not court a supreme
disaster. 1t must seize 1t fully and shape
its course accordingly. 1t must get rid
Of Its negative policy, framed on the
theory OF isolation. 1t must meet the
Responsibilities Of its participation in the
European struggle There is no option
now. For two years we have been really
a part Of the war. We are now assum-
ing a more active role. We must accept
all Its responsibilities.
Wise Defensive Measures.
: New York rmes)
The President has taken wise precau-
tions In ordering the mobilization Of
fourteen National Guard regiments, in
creasing the number of enlisted men in
the navy to the legal war strength. and
, dividing the country into six instead of
j four military departments. This is an in
dication Of the alertness OF the govern
ment to the necessities of the present
, situation which will hearten the people.
Many of the military regiments called
anew into the nations service have been
on guard duty, since their return from
the Mexican border. by command of the
governors of the States. Others have
been awaiting a call. But the service
now to be performed, the protection of
public works and private property from
the depreciation of secret enemies OF the
: country, pertains to the Federal rather
than the State governments. As each Of
the infantry regiments now to be mobi-
lized should contain at war strength 800
men. and there are a full militia reg
iment and two battalions of another still
in the nations service on the border.
which will not be mustered out, the num-
Der of men thus called for defense is es-
; timated at 5000. This is probably only
the beginning OF a general mastering in
, of the National Guard.
Germany's Weapons.
kansas City star)
1t is well that Americans should con-
, slider dispassionately the evidence that
: comes to them of the calculated fright
fulness of German military policy. for
1t is by such evidence that they must
Judge the character and capabilities for
ruthlessness OF a government that now
confronts them an enemy.
The latest evidence OF that policy is
revealed by the condition of the territory
|, just evacuated by the German army in
Northern France. The destruction In
, that territory has been deliberate and
painstaking. and was carried out with
the very apparent purpose OF impressing
the world with the penalties attaching
to opposition to the German will. The
stretched in war, but never before. it is
believed. has an invading army destroy
ed furniture, smashed dishes. torn up
books. wrecked churches, desecrated the
resting places Of the dead and deported
noncombatants. including women and
young girls. with so transparent and
cynical a purpose to strike terror and
with SO little military Justification. as
has the retreating German army in
!, France. .
The German military policy Is designed
, ly frightful. designedly ruthless. Its aim
Is that Of the madman who for a brief
period directed the course OF the French
revolution-to strike terror Calculated
destruction. repression. cruelty, fire and
the sword. these are its agents.
1t Is because that policy at last has
come home to America that the United
States is today on the verge Of war.
China in the War.
: ATLANTA Constitution.>
China's diplomatic breach with Ger
many. even should 1t eventuate in an
. open declaration OF hostilities, probably
will have slight. II any. effect upon the
outcome of the great war. In fact. the
post-bellum consequences bid fair to be
far more important than any Immediate
ly near results Of her alignment with the
entente.
II Is not 10 De assumed tnat Gernany
has any especial dread Of China's hostil-
ity. so far as 1t may bear upon the strug-
, gle of the hour The celestial republic is
. In no position to do any appreciable harm
, to Germany as an enemy, neither in a
military nor a commercial way. So war
between the two countries could have no
direct result-other than inconvenience,
: with perhaps some suffering. to the few
, hundreds Of German citizens resident in
China.
An indirect result OF war would be the
, closing Of Chinese ports and territory to
. German plotters and spies. who. accord
ing to all reports, have been assiduously
engaged in futile attempts to foment
, sedition In India against the entente.
, Pacihsm that In DisleyaI, Un-Amer-
= lean and Dangerous
CBaltmore Amencan-)
Ex-President Taft is chairman Of the
American League to Enforce Peace. In a