UNITED STATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 June 1916, Page 5

UNITED STATES.

WEAK-KNEED WILSON. CASTIGATED BY BRITISH (PRESS. London, May 30. The Morning Post's Washington correspondent states that if President Wilson can make peace, or associate himself with an arrangement of terms, his reelection is assured. The Morning Post comments on the unfortunate coincidence that President Wilson is devoting his skilled oratory on the subject of peace while the Allies are spending their best blood in a mortal conflict they do not desire.. The issue of the war will serve the ends of American politicians. British newspapers comment sharply on President Wilson's statement that the United States has no concern With the causes and objects of the war. MORE TALKING. AMERICA'S PRINCIPLE. New York, May 30. (President Wilson, in a Memorial Day speech, said that the United States was ready to fight against aggression and for American rights when American rights were coincident with the rights of mankind. America stood for the •prinoiple that small and weak nations had as many rights as larger States. APPLYING THE LASH. LORD CROMER UPON! THE - PRESIDENT. NO GOOD AS MEDIATOR. Received May 31, 11.20 p.m. London, May 31. Lord Cromer, in a letter to the Times, says that President Wilson cannot too clearly understand that, desirous as the people of the British Empire are of ibringing the war to a close, they altogether reject the idea of peace save on terms wholly acceptable to themselves and their allies, ftesident Wilson should also realise that the meaningless and misleading phrase, invented in Berlin, about the freedom of the seas, was a mere euphemism for the destruction of Britain's naval supremacy. It was inconceivable that as a result of the war the nation should accept a proposal to diminish the relative naval strength of the country. Lastly, despite our friendly feeling towards America, it is more than doubtful whether we would welcome President Wilson in the role of mediator. As Note succeeds Note, and speech succeeds speech, the conviction % pining ground that President Wilson ■has wholly failed to grasp the views of the vast number of Englishmen upon the cause for which the Allies are fighting. Lord Cromer adds: "This is confirmed by the amazing statement that America is unconcerned as to tlio causes and objects of the war. Our confidence in President Wilson's statesmanship has been rudely shaken, and it does not appear likely to be restored to the extent of vesting him with power to exercise and decide and influence the terms of peace whereupon the future destinies of the Empire and the civilised world greatly depend." MR. ROOSEVELT HAS AN ESCAPE. New York, May 30. As Mr. Roosevelt was motoring to deliver a speech in Kansas City favoring army and naval preparedness, a knife whizzed past 'him, apparently flung by an onlooker in the crowd. The knife struck the rear of the motor-car and was found in the street afterwards. Mr Roosevelt was unaware of the incident. I