New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-08
WashingtonCOnvinced
U-BOat Fear Prompted
Presidents Action
PRESTIGE OF u. S.
AS NEUTRAL HURT
German Move Branded
Failure-Diplomats Keep
Eyes Upon Rome
By STEVENSON II. EVANS

-
Of the rapid moves in the peace
maneuvres over, Washington has
scttled down to reckon the profit and
loss
This is being computed from various
points OF view. both with regard to the
German peace offer and to the Prcsi-
dents Intervention. It is being eX-
amined from the point Of view OF each
group of belligerents, and from the
point Of view Of the national interest,"
Of the United States.
II has become apparent from WI
Lsnsing's statements and from othe'
indications that President Wilson only
half revealed his real purpose IN '"o
note itself
He was not so much seeking peace
or attemptinc 20 find a basis TOR peace'
as trying to improve the almost mo- NO
crsbier situation Of the neutral United
states. To put il frankly. as Secretary
Lansing did he realized that we were
on the verge Of war with Germany ana
felt that something ought to DC uo"e
to prevent it. .., g. :, nor
ceiyed was not the consummauoh o.
neace or even the holding OIL peaTo
harley. President Wilson had l'''''
hope OF either.
Sought to Appease Germany
He Is not so ingenious about tne
causes and purposes Of the Wal as ne ne
liked to seem in his note. Nnat ne
vas angling for. and this is seen clear-
l., in we'll Informed quarters, was HeI-
man GOOD will. or, to put 1t more eN-
cctlv he was trying 20 make NeIhSny
helieye that he could be useful 10 neI
as peace advocate at some Iater uS'e
n is evident that il the Bethmanh-
uollueo Government believes president
Wilson has his heart set on an eatIy
peace. Germany's submarines wlll ge
beId in check until he has had ampe
opportunity to bring IT about
not only that, but Mr.. wilson al
lion unduestionsbly has gwen a goou
deal of encouragement to beIhnlani,
Uollweg to continue his ilght 10 reniS.n SI
in mower. Though his own pay ~
peace failed, he can turn trlumphano.S
70 the Tirpitzites and contouhu SnJ,n
With the fact that he has enllsIeu Ins
support Of the greatest neutrSi 'u'ei
in the world. IL. wuson's
move may have accomplished sun sun
thing toward keeping the Cnlteu
States out Of war. lie may hase nto
snaded Germany to delay putting lnto
effect the policy Of calculated Lroat. ts,snt
fulness which was indirectly V"ie"'-
ened as the alternative to peace.
United States Prestige Sacrihced
Rut in a larger way the prestige
of tho country has been sacrlhced:
ANNIE evidence OF this is to be found
IN talking TO any sympathizer with
tho Allies. They have not recovered
iron, the deep resentment that ioi-
iou.od Mr. Wilson's insinuation tnat
tbo,, did not know what they were
fobting for. or that their aims were
apparently much the same as Ger
MO Nor have they forgotten that Mr.
wilson made use of his power as
neutral ruler to aid the German peace
rnanpuvre through fear that. unless
bn Aid so. Germany would carry out
her threat Of ruthlessness. Inc ger usL-
mar threat was contained po!hIeuls
in the Sussex note. Ihough II va
veiled. it was not ooAceale"'
many then declared: ;.
"The German government. conscious
e cerr,anv's strength. has twice with.
"a ,bo last few months announced
before the world it's readiness to make
nesce on a basis safeguarding Ger
nsnv,s vital interests. thus indicating
,bat II is not Germany's fault II peace
:. ELL withheld from the nations Of
Europe ..c...;o, II Tho
euhusrine warfare, concluding VII"
these words: It,
Cermany. forced % fight Tor her exist,
nnce shall. for the sake Of neutral
interest. restrict the use OF an et-
foc,ivo weapon il her enemy Is per,
no;,ted 20 continue 70 apply az VIII
methods OF warfare violating the ruIes
Of international law
German Threat Clear-Cut
In those words Germany made II
clear that her first desire was peace
and that. If she could not OBTAIN IT,
submarine warfare must 90 on as IN
the Lusitania days. unless tne CnIteu
states would break the British olocA-
ade The latter was Impossible, so
President Wilson bowed TO the Ger
man threat by indorsing the peace
proposal. 80, An .,d 81
follows Of necessity that so long as TINS
lew persists among them the Onlted
states cannot expect TO exert great IN
enence as a peace mediator The con
cIusion drawn in many quarters IS that
president Wilson has sacrificed the m
auence he might have had as leglu-
mate peace mediator at some opportune
moment by choosing to act at an mop
nortune moment rather than face Ger
many's wrath. ~.
From the point of view of the bellig-
erents. the most striking conclusion Is
tbat Germany. through her note, has
rot reaped the profit she hoped, either
frop her own move or from the Presi-
dent's gesture. As understood here,
the German purpose was first TO obtain
neace. and. second. 10 strengthen her
self IL peace should be denied.
She has accomplished neither, so far
as can be observed. Peace at this time
is far of, to Judge By the Allies reply,
and il is believed here that II II does
come il will be as result of break
inside the German ring.
The secondary purpose Of Germany
Continued on psS,:. column