New-York tribune., 1918-10-25
Mr.. Cobb's Mission to Europe

An especial interest attaches to the an
nouncement that The Worlds editor, Mr..
Frank I. Cobb, has been sent abroad by
the President on a mi-diplomatic mis-
sion. The procedure is not at all new
to the President. He began it early in
his tenure of office, during the imbroglio
with Huerta in Mexico, when he passed
by the formal channels of oommunica-
tion and sent, as his special representa-
tive, his biographer and the editor of
the volume of his speeches, entitled "The
New Freedom" William Bayard Hale,
who was later associated with the Ger
man governments official propaganda in
the United States. Subsequent to Mr..
Hale, the President sent to Mexico, on a
similar mission. the Hon. John Lind,
eternal and unsleeping foe of the Money
Trust And after the outbreak of the
war in Europe Colonel House was like
wise intrusted with like informal mis-
sion to the various countries engaged, to
Berlin as well as to England and France.
The interest that lies in the dispatch
of The Worlds editor is due to the fact
that he is the only one of the Presidents
emissaries who has ever spoken freely
his own mind or of whom it has been
assumed that he often spoke the mind of
the President Mr.. Cobb has indeed been
almost alone among the editors Of Amer
ican newspapers in enjoying the Presi-
dents confidence and friendship. This is
why particular interest attaches to al
most the last of The Worlds expressions
of opinion prior to Mr. Cobb's departure
last week. This was at the time when
Germany's first reply to the first of the
Presidents notes had aroused the country
to deep appreciation of these intrigu-
ing parleys from a willy foe, and to a
nationwide demand for unconditional
Surrender" On Wednesday morning Of
last week The World carried at the TOD
of its editorial page a leading article
whose tenor was sufficiently indicated by
its beginning, which said:
! "The World has never been in favor of
carrying on the war against Germany
beyond the time when the conflict could
safely be terminated simply from consid-
erations of military vanity or from de-
sire to infict as much devastation upon
Germany as Germany has inflicted upon
Others"
This was apparently Mr. Cobb's con-
struction of the Presidents attitude, and
apparently his own attitude toward the
countrys demand for a programme of
o~A 81
At the tremendous outburst of "Uncon-
dtional Surrender" The World, in a sec.
ond editorial, offered this gratuitous
sneer:
"How many Of the Americans who are
shouting for unconditional surrender
know the meaning of the words they use
Except in the cases Of nations destroyed
there is no such thing as unconditional
surrender by governments. Armies are
said TO surrender Internationally, bu,
that is not completely so even in thei,
case.
Governments do not surrender uncon.
ditionally, sven when their last resource
is exhausted.
"lf the war continues more than one
German army may surrender as tn
! phrase is, Internationally Germany It.
self will be compelled to accept terms
but these terms in themselves will carry
conditions.
"For these reasons we deplore the pres.
ent thoughtess an irresponsible demand
for an unconditional surrender It is
only phrase. and no issue Of this mag
nitude was ever settled by a phrase"
These, we take it, represented the
mind and thoughts of the Presidents in.
formal representative. They reveal how
natural is The Worlds ardent support
J for example, of Henry Ford in his race
for the Michigan Senatorship, from which
state Mr.. Cobb also comes How far
these opinions voice the feelings and