The Taranaki Herald. DAILY EVENING. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1917. PRESIDENT WILSON.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 146001, 6 December 1917, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. DAILY EVENING. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1917. PRESIDENT WILSON.

Whatever criticism President Wilson may have been subjected to in tire days when he hesitated to plunge the United States into the war and so patiently submitted to German insults and injuries, it must ho acknowledged that having once made up his mind that his coSntry must take sides with the Allies for the defence of the world’s liberties against German military autocracy he has not wavered in his determination to put tho whole weight of the United States into the scales. Wc cannot tell, of course, to what extent his latest message to Congress was intended as a counter-blast to the Marquis of Lansdowne’s recent letter, hut in any case it is a most effective and well-timed reply, and wc may almost thank the Marquis for having evoked so spirited a declaration of America's policy; “Wc cannot talk peace,” Mr. Wilson says, “till Germany has been thoroughly beaten. America will use all her resources in men and money to win the war.” Nothing could be more emphatic, and there need he no doubt that every word of it is meant and will be kept. Congress, too, wc are told, overwhelmingly approved the President’s speech, which has fired the spirit of democracy. It is of minor importance at this stage what Mr. Wilson s ideas of a final settlement arc. Ethically he is on quite sound ground when he says that no nations nor people ought io be robbed or punished because irresponsible rulers

have done abominable wrongs, and that the idea of no annexations, no contributions, and no punitive indemnities is a just one if rightly applied. It has yet to be learned perhaps to what extent the German people are in real sympathy with their rulers’ policy. If Mr. Wilson is able to convince himself that the German man is as bad as his Prussian master he will probably be as determined as anyone else; to bind him down equally with the Kaiser in such a way that he will be powerless for harm. That Mr. Wilson has an open mind is clear from his remark that “it may be impossible at first to admit Germany to free economic intercourse after the war has ended.’’ He insists too that Germany must not only repair the wrong done to Belgium but must relinquish the powpr gained over the Balkans and Turkey, even over Austria-Hungary. In the light of this wc may safely assume that he would think twice about handing back Southwest Africa or South-east Africa, to a Power which treats, or is likely to treat, subject races as Germany has treated the Ilcrcros. England docs no), want those huge territories, hut she will be averse to handing them hack to au unrcgcncrate Germany after the war, and she will have to be satisfied that t!ie new Germany will not and cannot abuse her position and power before consenting to relinquish the responsibility conquest of those territories has placed upon her. President IV ilson's message breathes treedom, and he claims that all nations are entitled to the freedom of the sens as well as to free access to those pathways. England will doubtless subscribe to this, although in the past she endeavoured to block Russia’s access to open water. That, however, was because she believed that Russia would use that access for an improper purpose. These are questions which will come up for discussion and settlement when peace is being negotiated For the present President Wilson is evidently heart and soul withi England in his determination to have no peace talk with Germany in the latter’s present humour. It must be a chastened if not a crushed Germany before he or England will consent to treat.