The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 1917. MR WILSON'S VIEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 21, 24 January 1917, Page 4

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 1917. MR WILSON'S VIEWS.

For the cause that Ucks assistant*, For the vtrony that need* resistance, For the iuture in the diitmnce, And the good that toe earn in.

Xo doubt a large number of people ;kroughout the Kmpire and the Allied lountries are ■α-ow expressing vehement ndignation at the ■opinions which the 'resident of the United States has just wonounced about the war and the peace vhich is to conclude it. Now while we liesent absolutely "from" JK Wilson's dew of the case, we may point out that -here is nothing to be gained by delounoiag hem- or his country- on this iccount, as pro-German. It is quite >ossible to prove that Mr. Wilson's pecuiar theories, if carried into practice, I'ould work out much more satisfaetorly for the Central Powers than for the Entente. But it is none the less certain ;hat he honestly holds these opinions, [urite irrespective of the effects that ,hey may involve. As' to the charge of we must not forget that o the Germans, more especially in the Jnited States, Mr. Wilson's policy ecms to have been consistently proUly throughout the war; and, during ,-he recent Presidential election the ' hyphenated" party threw all their trength into the campaign on the side >f Mr. Hugheg," because Mr. Wilson had ■eeolutely declined to- do their bidding >y refusing to allow munitions to be •xported to the Allies. As for the harge of pro-Germanism le'Velled'against American foreign policy, we may well .Bk how the United States could have erved our purposes better than by :eeping out of the war themselves, so •s to leave their resources free for our ise, and providing us with huge quantises of war material -which we could lardly have secured otherwise. No Loubt they were prompted largely by enlightened self-interest," but.a dispasionate view of the case certainly fails ©justify the charge that the-policy oi he President or his people has been proSerman. But having said this, we are free tc xpress our own convictions about Mr Vilson's curious views, and we neec lardly cay that in our eyes they seem tc ie wholly illogical, unjustifiable, and per ticioua. ~-lt.-:i*''-not -ylitticult to see< hoy he" President lias 'gett* liis" remarkabU ioint ofview. As his abhoij ence of war'as' far' stronger than his ense of justice; and hie interest in this igantic struggle is chiefly confined to a Lesire to ccc.it finished as soon as pos ible. This ' inability to attach mucli mportance to the relative merits of the ival causes isa -natural though unfor unate consequence of' coifcentratinj! ttention solely.on the...desirability ol laving done with war,, to the exclusion if all other considerations.. And 'havinj ome to the decision that the gTeat thinj o do with this war is to get it over rhe President logically enough proceed o develop a plan for. peace based upoi iis fundamental doctrine that war musi iot be allowed to. recur in future. Fron his point of view the only effective peaa rould be one , which would leave behinc t no intolerable sense of humiliation foi jther side, and would involve no force* acrifice to sow the-eeeds of internationa lostility for the years to come. And s( ilr. Wilson reaches his conclusion thai f the peace which is to close the war ii o last, it must be one "between equals,' nd it must imply "common participated ii common benefits." But such-a peace ie thinks, would be impossible if it wen imply declared by a" triumphant con [ueror to 9, crushed and helpless, foe, anc herefore he maintaine that.the w!at inless it is to be -the- source of man; itlier wars, must end in "a ,geace> with >ut victory."" With, every desire to comprehend Mr iVilson's point of view, we . jnust eaj Jiat this conception of..the_ war. ajid th< iettlement that must follow it, is hope essly defective because it offends a; jnce against logic and justice. It i wholly illogciacl because it assumes ii diaracteristically pacifist fashion tha >y far the most important thing abou 1, war is its end, and"there£ore the ttatun >f its conclusion should: not be affectei >y its cause or. by ! the -conduct of tlv jelligerenfs. Tills; is how it become lossible for-Mr. Wilson-1».overlook com >letely the necessity for exaefcing jus mnishnient from any combatant win ias planned a war of ,ion or has offended against the unwrit ;en moral code of civilised nations b; vis methods of fighting. And. becaus President Wdlson is morfe addcttinßir theorist than a man of the world ot 1 wactical .politician, therefore her think ;hat it is not necessary to distinguia between the varying degrees of. nrora iuatification. that'attach to the conduc >f the different parties engaged. But in thus ignoring moral consider! ;ions altogether the President outrage the conscience of civilised humanity. Ho , is it possible to argue' tKat a victor would bring "not peace" but a sword when the Powers which have drawn tf sword to defend freedom and punish vi paralleled and unprecedented wron; doing are still at death-grips with tl offender? ' If a peaceful citizen grapnli with a murderous aßsaesin.who is see ing to plunder and. kiir n'inC his fin oßjectr shouldMSe- to- disarm-and'taptu' the miscreant, and. if he haa- anyfor his ovm safety he. will' not- trouli much about the consequences to t' other man's feelings till -"his antagoni

Ie %elpl.«sa and prostrate. And ■when "thie part of his duty is completed he is surely bound to take such precautions as will render him' and those dear to him safe from any such danger in the future. The ease is so obvioug that it would not be' worth arguing if' Mr. Wilson and his fellow pacifists did not persistently ignore the moral aspects of the -whole question. To talk of righteousness and peace while refusing to admit the necessity for dealirfg with Prussianism in such a way that all the horrors which it 'has inflicted upon the world shall never be repeated, is to use words without any real meaning, and whatever may be thought of the President's sympathies for or' against the Allies, his latest utterance on the war will certainly not enhance his reputation for sound judgment and common-sense.