New-York tribune., 1918-01-11

president Wilson's address to Congress,
which was welcomed with the most
cxtravagant and sincere praise BY the
Liberal and Labor parties and press
here, awakes some opposition. in the
CONSERVATIVE papers to-day.
None can directly disagree, for the
PRESIDENTS words are too generally
recognized as comprising the greatest
utterance Of the war, but there are
many slight dvergences of opinion.
Here are some of the typical Conser-
vative comments:
"Thc Daily Graphic" says: with
the general tenor of the Presidents
address there will be the heartiest
agreement in this country, but it con-
| talns one proposal with which Britaia
cannot, under existing world cond
tons, possibly agree. His proposal for
freedom of navigation cuts at the very
roots of Brtain's power. AS the Pres-
dents suggestion stands, it leads us
to this absurdity: Germany would be
tree to send armies across the sea to
invade England and we could do moth
ing to arrest the enemy transports until
they reached the three-mile limit of
our territorial waters
IF the proposal is intended to apply
to merchant vessels only, then our
answer is that the navy of an insula.
power has as much right to blockade
an enemy port as the army of a con-
tlncntal power has to bcsiege an enemy
city;
Doubtless the development of the
submarine must lead to some modifi-
cation of the rules of sea warfare. but
we insist that any such modification
take into account the interests Of ISL
and powers as well as continental
powers"
Shows Conservative Thought
The fallacy, as we'll as the utter
selishness,4 of a reactonary editorial
such as this is apparent at a glance,
but it gives an indication of what the
Conservatives here think.
"The Times's" criticism Of the Pres
idents speech follows: Our chief
criticism of the Presidents speech is
that in it's lofty fight of an ideal it
seems not to take into account certain
hard realities of the situation. We
would all rejoice to see some such
splendid vision as he beholds clothe d
in flesh and blood, and we are all
working toward it according to our
lights, but some of the proposals Mr..
wilson puts forward assume that the
reign of righteousness on earth is al
ready within our reach"
The paper then goes on to point out
that the President'sN suggestions about
the freedom of the seas and the pro-
hlbltion of secret international under
standings depend entirely upon the for
nation of a league of nations, and arc
impracticable until that time. This
seems to indicate that the attitude of
"The Times" is this: That it will sup
port such fair views if league of ma
tons is established, but will not com
NIT itself in favor of such PROPOSE
tons until then. Moreover, it is sig
nificant of this journals attitude that
it says, as above, that every one is
working toward President Wilson's
ideals according to our lights" In
other words, "The Times" and the body
of conservative opinion it represents
dents for achieving international set
! tlement.
Naturally, the Presidents message tc
Russia, which the British Labor party
regards as without question the most
magnificent manifesto that could pos
sibly have been sent to the Russians
to-day, does not please "The Times.
Its reticence to attack these sugges.
tions, however, bears witness to the
enormaus change in opinion here
which has now become sympathetic
toward Russia.
"President Wilson's wishes for E
democratic Russia and his hopes fo,
her FUTURE" the paper continues, care
in very special degree the wishes an(
hopes of our own people We doubt
however, whether he entirely appreci
ates the actual position of Russia o.
the real authority and intentions O.
the Bolshevki"