The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-24
LONDON. Nov. II.
+ President Wilson's fourteen
points laid down as conditions


points laid down as conditions
precedent to the signature Of
peace the two in which Great Britain
Is most vitality concerned ere those
pertaining to the freedom of the seas
and the future determination OF the
German colonies.
As the greatest naval Power in the
word, with long trade routes to her
colonies and to the dominions over
seas, any adjustment affecting mari
ct the peace conference IL of IRENE
Importance TO her. A. II. Fauen, the
well known British expert OH shipping
and naval matters, examines President
Wilson's proposal which was worded.
absolute freedom of navigation upon
The seas outside territorial waters alike
in peace and in war, except as the seas
may be closed in whole or in part by
International action for the enforce
rnent of national covenants" and
says:
y great many people--who realize
that but for he British navy and the
blockade Of Germany which IL has been
able to maintain the Allies could never
have got the Boche into his present
state of Military disintegration-are
not unnaturaly disturbed in mind
when they find that IL is to be term
OF pace that this particular use OF the
sea power must be voluntarily aban-
doned. For the right OF a navy after
Il has defeated the enemy's feet or
neutraliZed its action by frightening il
into It's harbors TO proceed to exclude
the enemy from the use of the sea and
% monopollze that use for itself and
tie allies has hitherto been regarded
"a the main purpose for which fleets
have been brought into being.
The first object is victory: the sec
end command Of the sea and all that
follows from 1t. At 4 moment when
civilization owes It's survival to the
British navy 1t is natural that people
should look upon any proposal to d.
mlnish these acknowledged rights in
war with uneasiness and suspicion. 1t
Is right and proper then that we
should examine this proposal with
Come care.
Presidents Peace Proposals.
Our first procedure should be to
read the fourteen points carefully 30
es to arrive the meaning OF the Sec
ond clause EN- taken in conjunction
With the rest. A study OF the docu-
ment as a whole shows us that clauses
to 10 Inclusive deal specifically with
the kind OF peace that the American
President thinks right after this war.
y is peace based upon the surren-
Ter and the restoration OF the con-
9lered European territories. the emAn-
cpaion 81 Russia TO work out her
own destiny, the autonomy OF op-
pressed peoples, the enfranchisement
q tie non-Osnanli populations Of
Turkey, ana so forth.
These clauses limit indemnities 10
he restoration OF Belgium. the occu-
PED territories OF France, Rumania
her1'a and Montenegro. They do not
mention for example, the restoration
o. tn British French, italian oil
Neutral merchant fleets nor compen-
'"hHn for the damage done by air
Ti'i' They deal, in other words
p-fo'. with territorial questions.
7. ~ 30 not deal with these COM
p'r''.' There ia no suggestion OF
Compensation for IT. murder, mutlla.
'Na md so forth, of the civil popula.
''ns 4 France and Belgium and o:
t0s.r"rs Of war, They are there
gre only heads dealing with tbs
,''a-rr and more obvious sides OF tho
''ti 80" ard Of the damage which in
's'1r armies have inflicted They
uu'A lrly what may be called The
fAy Questions now before Europe.
The President evidently takes
ar sr4nted that all other question: