Evening star., 1917-01-23
The Evening Star Newspaper Company
11th st. and Pennsylvania Avenue
Speedy and Enduring Peace.

and its substance President Wilson's ad-
dress to the Senate on the subject OF
.orld peace yesterday was startling. 1t
Ame without warning, although pre-
Pred Il week before. 1t was virtually
~ address to the world, for copies OF
ncous presentation to the governments
of Europe.
Che basic proposition of the Prcsi-
dents address is that the United States
must play a part in the restoration of
peace. He assumes that this country
will be challenged to Il service t. add its
authority and power to the authority
and force of other nations to guarantee
peace and justice throughout the world.
While agreeing that America will have
no voice in determining what the terms
will be on which the present war is
ended. he feels sure that it will have
voice in determining .hether these
terms shall be made lasting "by the
guarantees of Il universal covenant" No
such covenant he declares, that does
not include the people of the new world
pam suffice to keep the future safe
against war
Throughout the Presidents address
runs that thought that the present war
should be brought to close upon terms
that reach far beyond the Immediate is
&c 70 md hot ha Ia, lara
that the peace to come should be a peace
without victory; that is, peace that
will leave the peoples of the warning
countries in position to respect one
an her instead of a peace based upon
a victory that viii breed bitter resent
ments and hatreds in the future.
There are two bearings in the adj
dress. that which relates to the policies
to be pursued after the war and that
which relates to what this country should
do with respect to the present conflict
As to the Presidents vision of universal
peace based upon mutual respect of OBJ
legations and enforced by an interna-
tional organization there will be academ-
ieally no dissent 1t is most beautiful
ideal. Whether. it is practicable, whether
in the view of present happenings it is
possible. is question.
There is also sharp challenge of the
safety and wisdom of Americas par
tieipation in the definite organization
to enforce peace which is outlined by the
President. That issue must be fought
out at home
Peace without victory is distinctly op-
posed to the pronouneements of the bel
Igerents recently made. Germany in
the initial peaee-inviting note of De
cember declared that she was the victor
in the field. The allies in their reply.
while implicitly admitting that they
were not now the victors, so far as con
Gnental Europe is concerned. expressed
confident expectation of victory in the
months to come Neither side has thus
far given any indication of a disposi-
tion TO agree to a peace based upon any
other thought than that of military tri
umph. The only disclaimer on either
side has been that of intention to crush
and annihilate.
II the neutral nations were strong
enough 70 compel peace now all the prin-
ciples laid down by the President in his
address would apply But this cannot
be done. The nations at war are the
strongest in the world They are the
great fighting forces The neutrals. in
eluding the United States, are all com
paratively weak states from the modern
military viewpoint The combined pow
ers of the neutral states of the world
would make no impression upon the bel
Hgerents unless exerted in behalf Of
one side exclusively against the other in
partisan Intervention.
However idealistic the Presidents ad
dress and propositions p-~y be. the most
important point 8 that If is a eontribu-
ton to the peace thought of the dav and
that. on the principle suggestion, It
keeps open the question Of peace. Not
withstanding the reflections by belliger-
ents Of the thought of terms in the
present state Of the war. the continued
discussion by the President of the Uni
ted States cannot fail TO serve in the
interest of peace. BY holding before
the world the thought that agreements
between nations. even when they are in
the grip of war. are demanded by the
highest principles of humanity, the
President is discharging a duty of in
finite value, the result of which may be
fastening of enduring peace
Investigation of the high cost of lv-