New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-01
Disappointed by Wilson's
Reply, but Will Not
Give Up
England Thrilled,
Cecil Declares
Further Response by Allies
Hardly Necessary,
Minister Says

LONDON, Aug. 31.-Lord RoSert
Cecil, Minister of Blockade, to-day in
dorsed President Wilson's reply TO the
peace proposals of Pope Benedict and
said he was not certain any further
response would be necessary.
This is the first official expression OF
opinion in regard to the Presidents
note from any of the Allies.
"The Presidents note is a very mag
nifcent utterance," said the minister
to The Associated Press. 1T thrilled
US all over here, and the opinions which
/ heard expressed by representatives
Of Allied countries were equally warm
and appreciative. | am certain that
| none of the Allies would be able to
improve upon it, and | am not certain
that any further reply will be neces-
sary.
There does not appear 70 me TO be
anything inconsistent as between the
Presidents note and the economic pol
icy of the Allies as declared at the
Paris conference. The resolutions OF
the Allies were purely defensive meas
ures and in no way aggressive.
Views of Conference
, "They had in view the necessity for
restoring the economic life Of the
Allies after the war and protecting our
selves against any aggressive and mill
tarist commercial policy which nigh.
be pursued by cur enemies after the
war, and German schemes for driving
their allies into q Central European
commercial bloc show that such policy
is q real danger. We do, indeed, hold
that in this struggle economic sonsid-
erations are as vital as purely military
and naval measures. We have to main
tain and foster the economic strength
of those who are fighting the Central
I powers quite as much as we have TO
organize our armies and navies.
"We allies also believe that we are
right in attacking the economic strength
of our enemies with every legitimate
weapon at our command. That is why
we rejoice at the vigorous policy which
! the United States is pursuing in re-
gard TO exports and other matters. De-
pend upon it, there is no more potent
weapon with which to bring home to
Germany the folly and wickedness Of
her military leaders, to show her that
war does not pay, even in the strictest
commercial sense.
German Boosting
| Germans are fond of boasting Of
their war maps and pointing to the
territories which they have overrun.
/ They forget that ir the pursuit of their
militarist policy and their contempt for
all international law and the rights OF
non -combatants and neutrals they have
arrayed against themselves forces
whose commercial and financial re-
sources are immeasurably greater than
their own.
Hardly a week passes without some
| indication that even those nations
which still remain neutral are getting
to the end of their patience. II is
scarcely extrayagant to say that il the
war goes on many months longer the
Central Powers will find literally the
whole of the rest of the world srrayed
in arms against them.
! THAT is state of things which gives
rise to two observations. In the first
place. it shows that in the modern
world military force is not everything;
| that even if the German armies were
really as successful and invincible as
the Kaiser and his generals boast, the
! future of Germany would still be in
creasingly dark. The second observa-
ton is more full of hope. 1t indicates,
| perhaps, the real solution of the great
est world problem of the day, namely,
how we can take precautions TO prevent
| future wars. The great difficulty Of
all schemes for leagues Of nations and
| the like has been 10 find an effective
| sanction against nations determined TO
break the peace.
IL will not now discuss at length the
difficulties OF joint armed action, but
every one who has studied the question
knows they are very great. II may be.
I however, that league Of nations. prop
erly furnished with machinery to en-
! force the financial, commercial and
I economic isolation of any nation de
J termined 10 force it's will upon the
( world by mere violence, would be a real
safeguard for the peace of the world.
In any case. that is a subject that may
well be studied by those sincerely anx-
ious to put an end to the present sys-
| TEN of international anarchy"
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