Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-02-13
WITH FULL YIGOR.

There was probably more than q coincidence in the
fact that President Wilson addressed congress on war is
sues on the day Immediately preceding the opening of the
British parliament. The opening Of . session Of parlia-
ment, like the opening OF 4 session of our own congress.
is a formal affair, ana on such occasions statements out
lining the policy Of the government and its attitude on
important issues are always made. There is first the
formal address Of the king from the throne, which IL u.s.
ually very brief. This is followed by addresses from
representative members Of the administration in which
the policy is set forth at greater length. Then comes the
opportunity for debate. It was a foregone conclusion
that in these opening addresses attention would be given
to the most important subject before the nation, the war,
and that either directly or by implication there would be
some expression of the estimate placed by the British
government on the recent so-called peace addresses Of
the German chancellor and the Austrian premier. Tn
%doubtedly it was With special reference to these forth
coming British addresses that the address Of the president
was delivered. The result is that practically at tho same
moment there have been given to the world statements
Of the attitude Of the two great English-speakins nations
in the light OF the most recent Developments.
These statements are important and timely. They
set forth clearly just what the conditions are, and just
what are the intentions Of these nations. They leave no
doubt as to the determination that the war must be
prosecuted with full vigor. The declarations Of the rep
rcsentatives OF the Central powers are dismissed as mad
cquate, and that emanattng from the German govern
ment is especially unsatisfactory. 1t affords no basis on
which peace discussions can proceed. The recent devel-
opments in Russia do not affect the situation at all any
moro than they may make necessary changes in the mill
iuary dispositions. The German plan of patching up a
peace first with this little group and then with the other
cannot be accepted or tolerated. While this particular
feature is not discussed in 50 many words, it is apparent
that no arrangements made between the Teutons ana any
of the Russian groups which now undertake to speak FOR
Russia or any of its fragments, will have any binding
force on the United States or any of its associates, and
none Of these temporizing arrangements need be recog-
nized in the conclusion. of a real peace.
1t is possible that the Teutonic powers may frame up
agreements with factions, not merely in the shattered
bits Of Russia, but in Rumania, in Serbia and elsewhere,
and on the strength of these they may insist that all mat
ters relating to those nations have been disposed Of. It
would he absurd to recognize anything of the sort. Re-
gardess of what peace" arrangements Germany may
make now, real peace can be made only in conference
with all the democratic powers which have been pouring
forth their treasure and their blood, and these hole-and-
corner peace arrangements will not be given any more
consideration that Germany herself has given to the
solemn treaties which she has CONTEMPORARY repudiated.