The commonwealth., 1917-03-02

tors from pro-German sections were ap-
parently pulling off "a successful I'LL
buster, to prevent enactment OF a bill
giving war-announcing power to the
president, of a proposed alliance be-
tween Germany, Japan and Mexico,
proposed of course by Germany.
We take off our hats to the President
for the perfect stage setting OF the act
and the perfect manner with which the
plans went through, and further with
the really scientific way in which the
whole thing was rushed so that none OF
the lawmakers had time to cool their
fe3ered brows and give the matter Sc
rious and reasonable consideration.
Secretary Lansing, who somehow has
the faculty of making lapses, and let
ting the cat out Of the bag, vaguely
states that the president was in posses
sion Of this paper before diplomatic re-
lations with Germany were severed, and
further that he was unable to state.
when the paper came into the hands OF
the administration, as it would 90 par
ties injury, and probably put them into
serious danger, all of which goes to
show that the alleged document had
long ago been discounted and was used
at this time as the leverage to force
the hands of congress, and the pretty
part Of it all is that it, worked.
Of tho cnnDtrV carried
imaginative stories, gave interviews OF
>innumerable people, and made front
page stories that to say the least were
interesting, but they also ere this have
had time to give the matter cool and
careful thought, and will be able to an
nounceas we are doing, that Wilson IS
some stage producer, his act being the
sensation of the season.
Now then let US see where this in
eliminating document came from, and
when the administration became aware
Of it's contents It is admitted that the
cabinet have had it in their possession
more than forty eight hours, and even
before diplomatic relations were sew
cred, so it may have been in their pos
ession more than forty eight days, so
what more likely that this paper is
part of those discriminating mass Of
evidence taken from the baggage Of
the military attache Pappen, off the
coast Of England, and which the Brit
ish government transmitted to this
country, and which, though much was
said about their incriminating charac-
ter at the time, were never published,
nor any inlzling Of their contents, so
what more likely than that the presi-
dent has been holding these papers
to bring congress to its knees with one
grand coup.
That there is no likelihood that ia
pan would agree to such q proposal is
admitted by this government, and by
It's own, but what it probably would
like to take 9 slap at the United States,
but, Japan, weighing the pros and cons,
its present and future prospects, would
find it very difficult to break with the
allies, since the latter have been fnan-
cling her these many years. And she
would rather retain her recently ac-
quired possessions in the orient, taken
from Germany, than have the allies
threaten her with extinction in China.
AS for Mexico it is safe to say that
Carranza has been the tool Of Germany
since he took Office, and is no doubt
willing to follow the lead, but cannot
without generalship, and German gener-
alship at that, but Germany has her
hands full at this time and cannot spare
any leaders to handle so stupendous
job as subduing the United States, and
further, as all wars are expensive, Ger
many cannot finance campaign so
gigantic, but unless German is thoro-
ughly beaten this may eventually be
the next great conflict.
No, no, it was not feasible plan,
nor one that had any great terrors, but
it was simply splendid as a play actors
job, and it worked, so we have to take
our hats off to Mr.. Wilson as the great
est star Of the season.