The Washington times., 1914-12-01
A NEW BELGIAN LEVY.

If it be true, as Dutch new:
sources declare, that Germany ha:
announced the levy of 100000 &
month tribute against Belgium as g
whole, and lump sum of $75,000,,
600, all additional to the tributes
that have been imposed upon Belgian
cities, then it must at least be real.
lied that Germany is a very long
way from consideration of any peace
proposals.
For even the Berlin authorities
must realize that peace, made on any
terms short of the complete defeat
of the allies, would have to be &C
companied by some restitution to
Belgium. 1t is quite inconceivable
that France and Germany would
make a peace reasonably protective
of their interests, at the expense of
Belgium. That is what would be &C
complished if in present circumstan-
ces, or anything like them, those two
countries should make peace which
would restore substantially the sta
tus quo as to them, but permit Bel
GUM to be mulcted of the vast sums
that Germany has attempted to levy
in tributes.
Germany would seem to have de-
termined upon every extreme in or
der to win. There is report that
German resources of men and also
of material are feeling the strain of
the great effort. 1t might be as
sumed that in such circumstances,
with her own forces and resources
dwindling while those of her antag-
onists are gaining, Germany would
begin to think of the desirability of
such moderation as might reinstate
her in the kindly opinion of the
world. Certainly the attempt now
to extract further huge indemnities
from Belgium would have the very
opposite effect to this.
If Germany is emphatically defeat
ed, it may be set down as very GER
tain that the last dollar of her levies
against Belgium will be demanded of
her as part of the price of peace.
Refusing to make such recompense,
Germany would face the threat of
considerable loss of territory. There
fore reasonable caution would die
tate a policy of moderation on Ber-
Inns part at this juncture.
But nothing like moderation or
consideration for the future appears
in the German management of the
war. The first purpose is to win
at whatever sacrifice. Whether that
sacrifice be required of the German
people or of their enemies, is unim-
portant. The point is to get the
money, the supplies, the wherewithal
to carry the war into the last ditch,
in determined purpose to win by dint
of sheer recklessness of means or of
cost; perfectly thoughtless of con-
sequences if defeat should come, be-
cause absolutely determined that
there can be no such thing as de-
feat.
1t is a magnificent national con-
ception that nerves a great nation
to such measures; but it is surely a
dangerous one. If ever the Germans
had hope to secure serious hearing
for their case in Belgium, they will
sacrifice it by imposing these new
taxes on that stricken country.
Whatever measure of eXaggeration
may have marked the reports about
Belgian conditions, it is very sure
that the imposition of heavy penal
ties now, on the ground that Belgian
resistance has been expensive to
Germany, will not appeal to common
sense and humanity. Germany is
storing up wrath in Belgium against
the day of settlement and suuaring
accounts.
Perhaps, however, the wild project
of adding huge tribute to utter dew
astation is an invention. For the
sake of both Belgium and Germany,
it is to be hoped so.