WILSON'S PEACE LEAGUE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2987, 26 January 1917, Page 5

WILSON'S PEACE LEAGUE

EFFORTS AT EXPLANATION New York, January 21. There is still tho widest difference of opinion between newspapers and publicists as to the desirability of President Wilson's proposal fpr America to enter a. league to enforce peace after tho war. The New York "World,"- which is in President Wilson's confidence, in ' its endeavours to explain "peace without victory," snjs it means a peaco such as in tho American Civil War, in which the military power of tlie South was crushed, but no conquerors' terms were imposed. President Wilson means that permanent peaco cannot be imposed by the sword, but does not mean that tho Allies shall not crush Prussian mili-tarism.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. Washington, January 21. ' Tho Senate has decided not to de"bate at present President Wilson's spcecli.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. MR. BONAR LAW'S REPLY (Rec. January 25, 9.55 p.m.) London, January 25. Mr. Bonar Law, Chancellor of tho Exchequer, speaking at Bristol, in replying to'Presidont Wilson's speech, declared that when tho Germans' so-call-ed peace offer was received the Allies gave the only possible reply. "We believe the essence of this conflict is the question which is as 1 old as Time, namely, the difference between right and wrong. We know this is a war of naked aggression, that the crimes which havo accompanied tho conduct of the war, which were unknown in the world for centuries, were small compared with the initial crime of plunging the world into war by cold-blooded calculation, and because those responsible thought it would pay. Our aiin. coincides with President Wilson's effort to secure the present and future peace of the world. It would not be right to regard President Wilson's effort in regard to .a league of peace as altogether Utopian, but the subject was not an abstract question for tho future, but a question of lifo and death now." Proceeding, Mr. Bonar Law dwelt on past efforts to render the war impossible, leastwise to mitigate its horrors. He showed that Germany wholesalely violated her convention and the pledges connected „therewith, and no neutral Power had been able to stop her, and that no neutral indeed protested. . "So we must take other means to secure tho future peace of tho world. Wo rejected tho German offor of negotiations becauso peace now would mean a peace based on German victory and leave tho military machine unbroken, with the halo of success surrounding it. The controllers of that machino would roprepare for war, choosing a convenient time to begin war. What President Wilson was longing for was what wo were fighting for, our menfolk risking their lives for, and vre mean to secure it.—Router. ANTAGONISTIC TO THE ENTENTE (Rcc. January 25, 5.25 p.m.)' Stockholm, January 24. The newspapers of both parties interpret Mr. Wilson's speech as antagonistic to the Entente.-r-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.