New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-04

MRS. WILLIAM c
mittee TO deny facts thus apparent on
I their face. but the committee can rem
der a great service lt 10 follows T.
Gardeners lead and takes steps Whlcha
will prevent the future hitching up OF
contradictory manifestos about our
foreign policies with the manlpulauons
OF the stock market. When the Presl-
dents policv on vital matters is both so
suddenly announced and so wrapped ID
a fog Of obscurity that his own Secre-
tarv Of State interprets IL IN two dli-
ferent ways within six hours. the only
people who can possibly benefit are the
biggest and the most cOnsclenceless
stock gamblers, and this fact might as
well be understood.
AS for Senator Lodges speech. all
persons interested I'm the present ms
handling Of our foreign affairs would
do well to read the comments OF the
Hon. David jayne Hill on the PreSi-
dents circular note and when 1t is
spoken of as circular the adjective can
be accepted in both the explicit and I'M
plicit significance. As Nj Hill points
out. IL the note was designed merely TO
promote an early conclusion of peace,
it was irritating, Untimely and danger
Gus. II. on the other hand, as Mr.. Ian
sing first interpreted it, il was
threat of war and loreshadowed the
end Of American neutrality, 1t was NOT
only dangerous, but profoundly mis-
chievous. because IL took no account
whatever of the most serious causes o.
offence that had been given 10 the
United States and invited inslncere and
improper bidding for our support.
"Nor is that all.
Note Called 'WiCkedly False"
"The note takes position so pro
foundiy unnatural and misleading tnaJ
high minded ana right thinking Amerl-
cans whose country this note places I'D
a thoroughly false position are IN
honor bound to protest.
"For exam. pie. the note says that
both sides are lightning for the same
thing. This is palpablv false.
Nor is this all.
at is wickedly false 10 say that the
Germans who have trampled Belgium
under heel and are at this moment
transporting 100000 BelGians 10 serve
as state slaves in Germany are fight
ing for the same things az their hunt
ed victims. the Belgians. who have
fought only for their country and their
hearthStones, their vives-it is not
only falsehood, but callous and
most immoral falsehood thing
shocking to al right minded men who
love the peace OF righteousness.
Elsewhere the Pres ident says that
at some unmentioned date in the future
the American people intend to safe
guard the rights Of small nstionallties
against big and ruthless nations which
assail them. Unless this is sheer hy-
pocrisy, let the President begin now,
and in such case lot him promptly
withdraw the note, which has given
comfort only TO the oppressors OF Bel
GUM, and in which he has not dared 10
/ say one word on behalf of the rights Of
! Belgium.
Ridicules Wilson's Stand
"But perhaps the most preposterous
/ absurdity in the note is the statement
/ that the United States is ready and
eager TO guarantee the peace Of the
world. The spectacle Of the Pres dent
itrying, by the ard Of Messrs. Daniels
and Baker, to guarantee the peace OF
any nation under the sun against a
single and resolute foe is "a comic as
ANYTHING ever written by Artcmu'
l o.
! they would mean that hereafter we in
tend to embark on a policy Of violent
meddling in every European quarrel
and. in return, invite Old World ma
tions to NEEDLE in everything Amerl-
can. But, OF course, as matter OF
fact. his words mean nothing what
ever.
"Mr. Wilson pompously announces
that we are TO use every service at oul
command TO secure the future peace
OF the world and at this very time
after three years Of effort, he Il
helplessly unable to secure peace IL
that part OF the world adjoining VI
which is called Mexico. The Presiden
is nervously backing away from Mr.
CarranZa and he is engaged IN tindinl
new excuses for not securing peace in
Mexico At the very time that he il
Illuminating those vague threats an,
melting these vague promises in refer
ence TO the formidable military power
who are engaged in their gigantic dealt
wrestle across the seas.
LET the President keep the promis
We made In The Hague conventions, ant
let him bend all his energies TO secur
the ideal Of universal. obligatory mill
tary training military service for on
Young before, in the interests o
the nation that has wronged Belgium
and has murdered our citizens on tn
high seas by the hundreds, he make
promises which he could not fulfil an,
Eliminates threats which, when hi
own Secretary of State takes them Sc
riously. so frightens Wall Street tina
the same Secretary of State ia force,
Immediately to announce that his inter
probation was mistaken, and that, ate
all. the same threats are 70 be inter
preted in a strictly Pickwickian sense. ~