The Dominion. TUESDAY, MAY 30, 1916. MERELY PIOUS PLATITUDES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2783, 30 May 1916, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, MAY 30, 1916. MERELY PIOUS PLATITUDES

President Wilson has now arrived at the conclusion that it is his duty to offer his services as mediator for the purpose of ending the war. It would be decidedly interesting to know on what grounds he bases his belief that tho psychological momens for mediation has come. Is he acting on "information received," or merely in the hope that a r'ofhiite. declaration of his willingness to mediate may evoke a. definite response? His attitude is extremely enigmatical. He seems to be pulled hither and thither by conflicting influences and changing moods. A" cablegram dated May 25 announced that he had expressed the ofinion that the United States was unable to do anything in the direction of peace. On the following day tho world was informed that he hoped to be able to mediate, and would welcome overtures from any ' quartor. This sounds fairly definite, but in his latest utterance, in the form of an address to the League to Enforce Peace, he takes refuge onco more in vague generalities: 'He merely assures his hearers that "America is ready to join in any feasible association of the nations to preserve the peace of the world," and lie entertains the ,"hope that America will make suggestions for peace if the opportunity is presented." The probabilities are that Mn. Wilson has not made up 'his mind to adopt any definite course of action; but that organised pressure has succeeded in drawing from him a declaration of his willingness to play the part of peacemaker, should the opportunity arise. It is quite certain that the Allies have no desire for the mediation of President . Wilson or anyone else. They-have repeatedly declared their determination not to listen to any talk of peace until the objects for which they are fighting have been attained. It the President has received any hint that his good offices would be acceptable, it must have come, directly or indirectly, from our enemies. It is natural and not unreasonable to connect his recent reference to mediation with the announceemnt that Prince von Bulow is going to AVashington on a special mission from the Kaiser. For some time past it has been one of the principal aims of German diplomacy to make neutrals believe that Germany is willing to bring the war to an end, tho idea being to discredit the Allies by throwing on them the Responsibility for the continuance of the conflict. The German Government has been especially anxious to create the impression in America that the Central Powers are in a reasonable frame of mind, and that the only obstacle in. tho way of a settlement is the obstinacy and vindictiveness of the Allies. Quite recently the German Chancellor informed an American pressman that Germany was willing to consider practical peace proposals based on tho prewar situation. "If Europe continues to bleed," he said, "I absolutely repudiate any responsibility." Germany would undoubtedly be only too glad to consider peace proposals based on the present war situation. If President Wilson should place himself at the head of a peace movement he would do the Allies a distinct disservice. Wittingly or unwit-

tingly he would bo playing the game of Germany.

Tho League to Enforcc Peace is quite welcome to any satisfaction it may derive from President Wilson's vision of a universal association of nations with even-handed, impartial justice as its guiding principle; but it is quite certain that tho peace of tho world will not be secured by pious platitudes about tho'' rights and duties of nations. There can bo 'no lasting peaco until German militarism has been utterly crushed. The Allies are entitled to the fullest sympathy and support of every true lovor of peace, for they aro not content with ■ dreaming millennial dreams, but are making tremendous sacrifices in order to teach a wholesome lesson to war-makers. They are fighting for tho better world, while President Wilson is dreaming about it. In conversation with an American interviewer, Sir Edward Grey recently declared that the Allies are fighting in order to free Europe from tho domination of ono nation, from hectoring diplomacy, from the constant rattling of the sword in tho scabbard, and from the perpetual talk about "shining armour"; they aro fighting against the German idea of ever-recurrent wars, and for a.settled peaco which would be a guarantee against an aggressive war. _ President Wilson says America's interest is only in peace and its future guarantee. But justice should come before pcaco. A peaco which is not founded on justice is no peace at all. Tho Allies are determined to seo justice dono boforethey sheathe- their' swords. Full justice must be done to Belgium, for instance. President Wilson has at last discovered that what affects mankind is ' . inevitably America's affair. But he. took no action—he did not even make a protest—when Germany invaded Belgian territory, to the accompaniment of murder and outrage almost beyond belief. Mr. Roosevelt states the simple truth when he says that "America played the part' of the Levite towards Belgium, while the Allies played the part of the Good Samaritan." High-sounding generalities about peace and even-handed justice are powerless to restrain a lawless nation from wrongdoing. If President Wilson is really anxious for more wholesome diplomacy and a higher code of honour among nations, he should do what he can to help the Allies. He certainly ought to bo extremely careful not to do anything that will hinder or embar"rass them in their great fight for those things which he acclaims as the duties and rights of nations. Offers of mediation can do no good and may do much harm. Any mischievous meddling by self-consti-tuted peacemakers ' will find no favour with the Allies. They are 'solemnly pledged to continue tho war until they are in a position ,to dictate their own terms to the enemy. Neutral interference would cause useless friction and give encouragement to the Central Powers to prolong the struggle and to persist in those inhuman practices which they seek to cover with tho cloak of war. The conflict can only end when the Allies aro able to claim the rights of the victor in a just war; These rights, according to a recent writer on international law, arc: (1) To make good the claim for which he undertook the war; (2) to take compensation for tho losses incurred in fighting for his just claims; (3) to take measures to prevent unjust attack in the future by holding or destroying threatening positions, etc. War is a means to re-establish peace; consequently tho. victor should do what is really necessary to accomplish this. -