UNITED STATES AND THE PEACE TERMS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16348, 3 April 1915, Page 2

UNITED STATES AND THE PEACE TERMS.

TWO POINTS OF VIEW. MR CHOATE'S PROPHECY. A CANDID AMERICAN JOURNALIST. IFbom Odb Own Correspondent.) LONDON, January 19. The Hon. J. H. Choate, formerly American Ambassador in London, prophesies that the end of the war B will see the United States the moufc powerful nation in the world. His striking message aj.ll.eors in the American Review of Reviews, and it U worth recording in print He writes:—"l am hot without hope that out of this terrible torrent of evil and mutual massacre good will come in the end, and in a way to justify the hopes of the pacifists, of whom 1 am proud to be one. If we can maintain our neutrality and keep out of this war, and at the same time prove ourselves friendly to all the nations engaged in it —as I think we shall under the wise and prudent conduct of President Wilson—the United States will, I believe, not only be called into consultation by the warring nations, when they are 110 loger able to keep up the fight, but will practically be able to dictate tho terms of peace between them, one of which must, if possible, be an effectual guarantee against any future outbreak of the horrible spirit of militarism which has caused the present war. And lam encouraged in this belief by reading tho recent Message of, President Wilson and the annual reports of the Secretaries of War and of the Navy, which, taken together, appear to show a steadfast determination on the part of our Federal Government to have us prepared always for effectual self-defence, which is a necessary condition of our national existence. Certainly it must be done if we would be safe lroin attack. For any other great nation will have at any time just as much cause for attacking us as Germany had for attacking Belgium. _ If we thus stand in the position of a mighty nation, always ready to defend itself and never willing to attack any other nation, we shall be able to speak ■with authority when the, long : postponed day of possible peace shall come. Of course, tho end of this war will see us by. far the mo6t powerful nation in the world; and if the policy pointed out by Secretary Daniels is pursued, we shall perhaps in the fullness of timo become ourselves the mistress of tho seas without incurring hostility or attack from any nation, and shall be the great factor for preserving universal peace." ISOLATION OF AMERICA.

Another interesting sidelight 011 the attitude of America is contained in an outspoken despatch from the London correspondent of the Chicago Daily News (Mr E. P. Bell). Mr Bell thinks that America is making no real friends in this war. He says: . "The general charge against our country is that we are displaying a shameless lack of idealism, chivalry, magnanimity courage, not to mention political vision. Britons, Frenchmen, Russians, and Italians blame Americans for ignoring the invasion of Belgium, the violation ot Hague Conventions, and then springing into the international arena with a protest related only to matters of trade. The argument of all these complainants is that if President Wilson had protested against violations •of treaties and of the principles of .civilised warfare he could have protested with, vastly 'greater against ai'bitary and possibly indefensible interferences with American cargoes. It is asserted on every hand that Americans have witnessed unmoved—unmoved, that -it,-so; far-as official protest is concerned—the crucifixion, of Belgium, the killing' i'nd 'maining'of non-combatant meiij women, and children, the destruction of privato property, and the strewing of the open seas with long-lived floating mines, all involving enormous sacrifices of life and wealth 'without commensurate military advantage. The indictment against us, so far as I can measure it, simply is that we abdicated, ignominiously ran away, when great questions of morals and humanity were concerned, and promptly recovered our sense of duty and our courage 'when the state war threatened to arrest the soaring profits of the 'copper kings,' and otherwise to penalise America materially. True, whenever these 'bitter charges are brought against us our accusers 6top long enough to acknowledge the debt of the Allies, especially the Belgians,- to American generosity.- But this generosity, this charity, -is not aocepted as in any way mitigating what the Allies and their friends regard as the sins of omission of the American Government. They aver that Wilson and Bryan, representing the character and conviction of the powerful American Commonwealth, might have 'kept the ring morally' in this war, -and that they failed to do so. Germany, too, accuses us of cringing to England. Influential Germans are inclined to speak of us with scorn. Thus it_ 'would seem that the whole of Europe is hardening against America. Enthusiastic friends we have nowhere. I understand that innumerable persons will dispute this. I understand that diplomacy and pious aspiration will go on using the language of futility and sham. But one cannot doubt, as matters stand, that when peace comes America will have no hand in making it, that America's isolation, at all events so far as Europe and Asia are concerned, will be fairly complete, and that the maintenance, not only of its traditional policies in the western hemisphere, but of its own national security, -will require the utmost naval and military strength of which it is capable." ANOTHER SCATHING CRITICISM.

The New York Tribune, which has proved a warm friend to the cause of the Allies, publishes, from the pea of Mr John Burroughs, the well-known American naturalist and author, a scathing indictment of German barbarism, and warns ' America to be tolerant of Great Britain, who, he declares, is fighting- the battle of the United States. He, says : " Never before has the world -witnessed Anglophobia plunging its victim into such frothing, convulsive fury as Germany shows to-day. That dash of the German Navy upon the coast of England was like an, outburst of uncontrollable hatred, showing a thirst for destruction. It was Germany drunk with the spirit of war in the worst form. It indicates a reversal to the spirit of primitive savagery, which the whole world will stand in dread of. The destruction of a battleship is legitimate warfare, but the murder of women and children in unfortified towns, is the debauchery of war. The total destruction of London with all its_ population by Zoppelin airships would be in accordance with the present temper of the Kaiser's army and navy, out to win, to dominate Europe by military might. No considerations for humanity or the rights of non-belligerents will for a moment stand in .the way. This country should be very forbearing with the course of Great Britain on the high seas. England he.3 everything at stake, and is fighting our battles. We have nothing at stake but the •big profits of our oil kings and coppcr kings. The events upon which we judge Germany are written large in fire , and blood across the face of the kingdom. They are written in burned cities, demolished cathedrals, consumed libraries, and piratical indemnities."