The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-16
WHY WE WANT PEACE
From the New York Times.

From the New York Times
 ~ HE American people want to see the
 end of the war in Europe. They
 hope the end will come soon. They make. no concealment of their desire. Why should they conceal it? Quite aside from their horror of the dreadful car mage, they are hurt by the war. The cost of it to them is very great, far greater than that which any other peo- pie outside the circle of belligerents has to bear Their continuing loss is we'll nigh fmmeasureable. Yet their behavior las been entirely correct They have given no warrant for the English criticism, re- fiected in London dispatches, that there has been unseemly meddlng from this side. The statement by Acting Sec retary of State Lansing as to the atti- tude of the government win, we think
 reassure our English friends. There is TO thought of any new offer of media tion. MT. Lansing says that all such stories should be regarded as the in vention of persons who appear to have some other motive than peace
 We have no need to be told that un- timely offers of this nature are most un- welcome. Our own experience has taught Us that. When MT. Gladstone in his Newcastle speech said that Jefferson Da- wis had founded d nation. and when he showed his readiness to commit the gov ernment of Great Britain to Louis Ma poleons plans of interference-a sinister s,a the friendly action of Russia-we felt and showed a resentment There is noth- irg of that nature now in the wind And the story that appears to have gained some crederce in London. that some kind of peace plot is matching here in the interests of Germany. is too puerile 70 call for serious notice. The very large number of Germans of great promlnence who have taken part in the determined effort to enlist our sympathy in behaif Of the imperial government would doubt less give their sadly sincere testimony against the probability of any conspir- acy here to help Germany out of the troubles which Americans believe she has brought upon herself and upon Eu- rope.
 But we want the war ended Not only that, we want it's end to bring the as surance that it will not be renewed In five years or in 10 or in 20. We hate war. From lands where war is not so hated, where war is held to be the true path to greatness and culture, sometimes comes the reproach that we are a na- ton of dolar-chasers so deeply absorbed n lo fci,
 goods that we have lost our appreciation, of the glories of war
 We admit that we like making and selling better than killing and being killed, but we admit it without spark of humility. These believers in blood and iron will be disappointed if they think to make us blush for our devo- tion to the arts of peace It is be- cause we arc so perfectly shameless in tho belief that a people at peace is more blessed than a people whose best and bravest stand in trenches shooting down their fellowmen and being blown to pieces themselves. that we want the peace treaties made at tho end of this war to be firm covenants against new wars. Prussian militar- ism must be destroyed. say our Eng fish friends. We hope it will be de- stroyed. It is a menace to Europe But we have no sympathy with the foolish talk about crushing" Ger many In the first place. that difficult achievement would much prolong the war; in the second place. the German people are not of a spirit and temper to stay crushed. so there would soon be more war. Alsace and Lorraine stand as dreadful warnings agains. the attempt to crush a great nation That was Germany's fatal mistake of which she is now reaping the inevit- able consequences. The allies must not repeat such blunders. The two provinces may become French again, bur their own people should have something to say about the retransfer. Anything like wanton dismemberment |of Germany or any other country ir revengeful fury will. we hope, find no consideration in the peace council.
 Americans have no apologies tc.
 make for holding and expressing opin- ions on these grave matters our for eign commerce Is pretty much de- Gtroyed. our internal trade is de- pressed. our finances are deranged, our exchanges are closed, and hard times have come upon us in a year when re- newed and great prosperity was al hand. We seriously object to- having such sore burdens imposed upon us because dynasties want to defend their crowns. because ministers have