America's Position.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15770, 11 December 1916, Page 6

America's Position.

Interest in. America's position has been renewed by Mr Wilson's "cryptic" speech about fighting for liberty and by tho addition of new factors to the submarine problem as it affects America. That America will take part in tho war may now bo considered impossible, for the re-election of Mr Wilson was conclusive evidence of tho eagerness of tho nation for undisturbed neutrality. It is true our cable

messages this morning report another " serious discussion" between Mr Wilson and Mr Lansing in referenoo to the exposed subterfuges of the Germans in regard to the torpedoing of the Marina, but it i s considered in Washington that nothing more serious than another "note" is likely to bo tho result. Tho mail has now brought us the text of the strange speech which Mr Wilson delivered early in October at Omaha, and in which he said, in effect, that.Amprica is not too proud to fight, but docs not care about meddling with this particular war. "America " has held off from the present con- " flict with which the rest of the world " is ablaze," he said, "not because she "is not interested, not because she is " indifferent, but because the part she " wanted to play was a different one "from that." He went on to say that " the singularity of the present war is "that its origin and objects have "never been disclosed. They have "obscure Europeans reasons which we "do not know how to trace . . . .

"When we exert the force of this "nation, wo want to know what wc "are exerting it for." This speech has not been pleasant reading f° r those Americans who hold that there are enough plain facts to justify American action on behalf of the interests of liberty and civilisation. But the Germans can hardly havo failed to see in tho President's words a notice that nothing can move America to depart from neutrality. The attitude of tho American Government towards the activities of the U 53 confirmed this view of the official American attitude. Mr Lansing issued a statement to the effect that the U 53, which was sinking British vessels and neutrals without warning, while American destroyers stood by to pick up the wrecked passengers and crews, was a ship of war observing the laws of warfare, and was doing nothing to call for American protest or interference. What made this opinion specially strange "was the fact that early in the present year the American Government protested against the presence of British cruisers and patrols near the American coasts. Apparently Mr Wilson wa s willing to permit Germany to practise "ruthless- " ness" in an area in which the British Navy had been told it ought not to eserciso perfectly legitimate functions. In any event, Germany was quite plainly breaking promises which she gave to the American Government in order to avert a breach of relations. Under American pressure Count Bernstorff promised in September of laat

year that ships would not be sunk without warning or without securing the safety of the lives of non-combatants. On May 4th of tins year the Berlin Foreign Office, in connexion with the Sussex caso, gave the same assurance in the most solemn terms, undertaking "to conduct submarine warfare in " accordance with tho general principles "of visit and search." Despite these pledges the U 53 sank several vessels off the American coast without warning, without visit and search, and without making any provision to secure tho 6afety of the lives of non-com-batants. Every American newspaper of standing insisted that it would be a national humiliation if the Administration did nothing, and some of the newspapers were exasperated to the pitch of suggesting that Germany was committing piratical crimes with Mr "Wilson's approval. America is the greatest of the neutrals, and it is widely held that if she had used her position in the very beginning, as the head of an informal agreement amongst neutrals, to insist upon tho observance of international law, Germany would have abstained from her horrible crimes on sea and land. Having let the opportunity pass, tho neutrals are now face to.faco with the threat of general and rnthless submarining which Germany is reported to have issued.