The Washington times., 1918-04-08
TURNING POINT IN
WARS DIPLOMACY
MARKEDBYSPEECH
By DAVID LAWRENCE.

(Continued from First Page.l
ment knows now that It can expect
relentless war from America and not
q premature peace.
Knew where He stood.
There has been no doubt Of the
Presidents position among Washing
ton correspondents. They expected,
at .nrst that he would expose the dn-
plictty Of the Won Hsrtling and ozer-
min peace speeches when the German
army advanced through the Baltic
provinces notwithstanding the readi-
ness Of the Russians to sign . peace
treaty, The Presidents war speech
has been In his system, so to speak,
for many weeks. He waited for the
best and most effective way to de-
liver II. This time 1t was not In an
address to Congress but at a Liberty
Loan celebration on the anniversary
OF Americas entry into the war.
What the Baltimore speech really
means II that the President has not
for moment repudiafed any Of the
principles OF morality and justice
which he preached in his addresses
during the first year Of our particle
pEt:on in the war. But while the lib
erals in Germany and Austria might
understand such language, they are
at the mercy OF the military masters,
who understand but one language
the language of force. So the Presi-
dent speaks words OF physical force
and pledges Americas power.
Action, Not Talk.
For the next year. at least. II Is
going to be the dominant part Of
Americas contribution to the cause
OF democracy-not talk, but action.
For fear that the influences Of lib
eralism may be injured in Germany
and Austria BY his own speech IN
favor of physical force-and Ger
many promptly win attempt to rally
her Independent socialists on that
ground-ths President did not fail to
point out that he would be ready to
talk peace whenever the sincerity OF
our foes was conclusively demon
strated. In other words. when they
realize that their brutal power II not
going to prevail, when their present
leaders become chastened. II that Is
possible, or are eliminated. and when
Germany and Austria. in order 70
prevent complete destruction, come
forward with explicit Offers to with
draw from every Aoot OF invaded ter
ritory both In Russia and in Belgium
and northern Frahce and are also in
q position to guarantee the words
they speak.
Weakening Of BIaEnaninlty.
Whatever Germany hoped to gain
from the altruistic influence OF Presi-
dent Wilson in the councils OF the
allies has been lost through the ut
terances and actions of Germany's
own leaders. And just as the Presi-
dents reliance on moral force has
been weakened by the acts OF Ger
many in Russia just so will that char
acteristic of America-magnanimity-
which Germany might have expected
from the United States at the peace
table be similarly worn down by the
processes of attrition that spring
from the contact Of Americas brute
force and the brute force of milf
taristic Germany
The Presidents address at Balti-
more is not exactly q bitter end"
speech in,the sense that he closes the
door to all peace negotiation until
Germany Is crusneos DuI II 10 = OitLcT
end speech in the sense that he an
nounces the policy OF America not to
make peace until the dastardly instf='
tutions which Germany still exalts-
that physical might alone makes
right-are beaten by the mobilized en-
ergies of free peoples who fight not
for autocratic masters, but for the
mastery of principles which can be
realized only in q world OF human
democracy.
See Their Error.
German newspapers are beginning
to say it was q mistake for Germany
to bring America into the war, that
American sentiment was misread, and
to cheer themselves up with the hope
that the United States Is too far away
TO bring victory.
But the German newspapers are going
to have mode establishments in the
next two years. for they will see not
merely by the many billions that are
going to be subscribed to the Liberty
Loan but by the offensive power OF the
American troops who get into the fray
seem that Germany has made the crown
ing blunder OF history-she has made
A.-M A AZ -.