The Dominion. MONDAY, APRIL 9, 1917. AMERICA'S DECISION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3048, 9 April 1917, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, APRIL 9, 1917. AMERICA'S DECISION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

. Iff-"American: sentiment is to be judged by the votes of Congress on the war resolution, then there'can be .little doubt that the United States will enter whole-heartedly into -the prosecution of the war against Germany. The Senate, vote was 82 to 6, and that of the House or .Representatives 373 to 50—overwhelming majorities in each case. It should , not be forgotten that the votes recorded were not the votes of representatives out of touch with the constituents whose interests and welfare it is their duty to study. The members of Congress whose fateful decision has ranged America on the side of the Allies are fresh from the hustings. They, like President Wilson, have been recently meeting the people of America face to face; they, like President Wilson, have just passed through an ordeal •' which ' should have enabled them to form! a sound and accurate judgment of the attitude and sentiments of their, fellowcountrymen on the great and grave issues involved in the step now taken. It is safe to say, therefore, that the vote of Congress endorsing the President's proposal fairly represents the will of the people. Endorsement of this'view, if endorsement is needed, is to be found in the attitude of the Press. It is encouraging, too, to note that, having decided to take the plunge, the United States authorities have de-> termined that nothing shall be permitted to hamper the efforts of the nation in the struggle. No one can ignore the possibilities of internal dangers whioh arise from the presence in America, of a large , body of Gcrman : born people whose sympathies are with Germany.- Many who are not anti-American are proGerman, and the United States must be full of spies and potential spies, who may prove a menace 1 difficult to deal with. In the threatening days leading up to the present decision, however, \ve may be certain that the authorities have prepared plans and armed themselves as far as possible to minimise this (linger, and the thoroughness of their preparations in this respect is to some extent hinted at in to-day's messages, and may be regarded as an_ indication of the. determined spirit in which America is entering into the struggle. There are to be no half measures—that is the assurance to be gathered frosa tho ; action of Congress, and tho preparations of the Government which have followed on that deoisioni

While this condition of- affairs must be regarded with extreme satisfaction by Britain and her Allies, it must be obvious that the effect upon, i Germany and her allies will be even more than correepondin'gly alarming. And for this reason: President Wilson's altitude since the Lusitania outrage'has undoubtedly created the impression that he would endeavour to avoid war at almost any cost, and it is not unnatural, perhaps, that the Central Powers should have interpreted .his long-drawn-out protestations and his evident disinclination to follow, up his warnings with action as aigns of weakness, affording them a guarantee against any extreme step on his part. This view would in all probability be strengthened toy the knowledge which Germany must have possessed of the ramifications bf German Intrigue and , Gorman bribery throughout the United States. When President Wilson oroke off ( cliplomatic relations with Germany, his action m&y have occasioned a shqck • to the Central Powers, but it could be explained away on the assumption that it meant little or nothing so far as its actual effect on the war. was concerned. Even up fco tho last the authorities at Berlin appear to have deceived themselves, apparently labouring under the delusion thiib in the unlikely evont of Anwvica declaring war on Germany it vould bo little more than a matter of form,'the United States being content to act on the defensive. The decision now arrived at by Congress, and the prompt and extensive nature of tho preparations already being made for aggressive action, have therefore come as a staggering shock to Germany. And if Germany is staggered by tho possibilities which lie behind America's entry into the war as an active and wholehearted associate of the Bntente Powers, what must be the feelings of the young Emperor of Austria? It should not be forgotten that Germany, ;is the dominant partner in tin war, has arrogated to he.reelf the task 6£ dealing with neutral

nations as well as the planning of the military campaign, and in her breaches of international law, and more especially in her goading of the- United States, it is probable that she has played her own hand with little if any regard to tho views of her allies. What now must those allies—and especially Austria—think of the action of their dominant partner in forcing into the ranks of their antagonists the most powerful remaining neutral nation—the richest if not the most powerful- nation in the- world ? It is known that the young Empehor op Austria has been bitterly resentful of the manner in whioh Germany has sought to make his Empire subservient to the will of the Kaisee and his War Lords. Since tho death of the Emperor Fkancis Joseph, his successor has, wherever possible, displaced the proGerman office-holders within the Empire, and hae sought to minimise the influence exerted by his overbearing ally. Austria has suffered probably more than Germany by the war, and in some quarters the complaint is bitterly made that Austrian troops and Austrian interests have been • sacrificed by German commanders and German policy for Germany's benefit. Now Germany has added to her own and to Austria's enemies the one nation capable of making assurance doubly sure that the Central Powers must suffer absolute defeat in the struggle. With the resources in men and money and food which the United States can bring to the aid of the Entente Powers, the final outcome of the war must, even in the minds of the Central Powers, pass from the realms of speculation to those of absolute certainty. With that certainty so clearly before his eyes, with the knowledge that Germany has brought this new calamity on his already overtaxed Empire, with the memory of past indignities at the hands of the Kaiser and his advisers, the Emperor Carl may well feel that the time has arrived for independent and decisive action on his part. That he wants peace he has made clear. He could gain his desire in this respect at less cost than could Germany. He is said to have' the courage and strength of character to decide and to act for himself. One of the most etartfing possibilities of America's participa- j tion in the war may therefore prove to be the drifting' apart of Germany and Austria-Hungary and separate peace overtures from the latter Empire.