The Washington herald., 1918-02-13
WAR MESSAGE
SHOWS ALLIES
WILSON FIRM
Comment by Diplomats In
dicates Qualification Over
Peace Speech.

Representatives of the allies here
were assured yesterday that the
speech Of the President to Congress
marks no weakening Of the position
Of the United States. They have
made such reports to their govern
ments.
The Presidents utterance is con-
! sidered in all quarters more as mark
ing a new phase of the war than
toward peace.
Lloyd Georges refusal to see any
hone Of peace in the Czernin speech
to which President Wilson made such
a conciliatory reply Is not looked
upon by officials as denoting a split
between the United States and Eng
land.
"The two men read the Czernin
speech differently" said one official
last night. Both stand for the same
principles in this war"
Favorable Expressions
This is typical OF the expressions
that have been conveyed to the al
lied diplomats here. The President
himself has not further elucidated
his position. No one processes to
speak for him directly. But. the as
surances given have apparently sat-
isfled the British. French and italian
diplomats who consulted about the
speech at the State Department.
l.. 80 Fnta
as to the timeliness OF the Presi-
dents speech. In fact. among the
circle of the Presidents closest ad-
IL Mr.. Wilson has represented the
United States as anxious for peace
at this time, he has made a grave
blunder.
On the other hand the speech Is
regarded as of the greatest timeli-
ness in these respects:
1. 1t reiterates in general terms
OF Justice and fairness the many de-
mands for which the nations ar
rayed against Germany have been
fighting and which they have stated
from time time in a concrete man
ner.
2. 1t puts the blame for the con-
one set OF shoulders-those of the
German military ruling classes.
3. Such a diplomatic move was
highly requisite at just this new
turn OF the wars tide.
The State Department has re-
ceived confirmation of the press re-
ports that Ukraine had signed a
peace with Germany and Austria
and that Trotsky has declared that
the war is over so far as Russia is
concerned.
The terms of the Ukrainian peace
as published in press dispatches
were confirmed by Minister Vop-
icka. the American representative
to Rumania, now with the Ru-
manian court at Jassy. He was able
to tell the department nothing of
the Rumanian situation and 1t is
conceded here that Rumania will
have to give up the fight. Other
than the mere confirmation of
Trotzky's remarkable ending of the
war and rehabilitation of the Rus
sian army the department was with
out advices from Petrograd.
Russian Peace Discounted.
From the strictly military view
point high officials believe that the
Russian peace has already been dis
counted in an ample degree.
Germany has undoubtedly moved
from the Eastern front every man
who can be of value as a fighter
| on the West" said a major gen.
eral in touch with the situation
last night. And still the allies
maintain a superiority there in both
men and guns. The superiority is
| estimated at about 10 per cent.
Now, when 1t comes to moving
more Germans from the East to the
| West, two problems must be con-
sIdered. First, they will be Of use
only in secondary work on the West
! front: and, second. IL they are
moved from the East front Germany
not only will be unable to organize
| her conquests there. but will lay
herself open to an invasion of Boil
shevism. 1 believe that the Eastern
frontiers will still keep busy hun
dreds of thousands OF Teuton sec
| ond and third line troops"
| Officers now openly admit that
the situation on the West front is
a deadlock. They are sure that the
Germans cannot break through in
their much-advertised drive. Fol-
the present they see no possibility
of the allies breaking through
They admit that it has simmered
down to a war of nerves.
The comment OF the British and
French press on the President
note is eagerly awaited. 1t is ad.
mitted that much of it will be al
first unfavorable. But Washington
has already pretty thoroughly set
tied its opinion that in this wal
of nerves" the words of the Presi.
dent will react upon the nerves OF
the Teuton peoples in the interest
of the entente.