LATEST WAR NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 49, 26 February 1916, Page 9

LATEST WAR NEWS.

: "WE COVET PEACE." . "AT ANY COST SAVE HONOUR." •WILSON'S FIRM STAND. (Received 2 p.m.) WASHINGTON, February 25. An overwhelming majority of Congress is favourable to warning Americans to t»ep off belligerent ships, but Mr Wilson refuses to give way. He intends to the full rights of Americans ogainst German contentions. "We covet peace, and shall preserve it at any cost tare loss of honour." President Wilson says: ''The course which the Central Powers have announced their intention to follow in regard to undersea warfare seems to threaten insuperable obstacles, but it ia apparently so "manifestly inconsistent ■pith Germany's explicit assurances that I must believe that explanations will reveal a different aspect. I have no reason to question their fidelity to the past promises. No nation or group of nations has the right to alter or disregard principles to which all nations agree for mitigation of the horrors of war. If the rights of American citizens are ever unhappily abridged or denied, we have, in honour, no choice what our course ■would be. Personally, I will not consent io any abridgement of citizens' rights in any respects. Fear to vindicate these would be a deep humiliation and abdication of our hitherto proud position- As spokesman, even amidst the turmoil oi war. lor law and ri»ht if in this instance we allowed expediency to take the place of principle tie door would inevitably be opened to further concessions, and many other humiliations would certainly follow, and the fine fabric of international law would crumble to pieces. America cannot yield without conceding her own impotency as a nation, and virtually surrendering her independency among the nations of the world.