New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-11
No Peace Until 1t Can Be Just
and Lasting.

IL settlement and the clutching az peace
81 CTS hssis and promise for the future This coun
try. as President Wilson suggested and as tile
KoIsors nles demonstrates. stands In peculiarly
advantageous position Of alOofness and Impair
TALLY. American sentiment and American JUG
,nent can be of large moment when war is done
ana the time for q settlement is at hand. The
resident was right to make his formal proner OF
good Offices promptly. He pursued an entirely
unsuitable course in issuing his clear and dignihed
nroclamation Of day of prayer for peace Ours
Is q peace loving nation, by example and precept
A leader among peacemakers and 1t is entirely nj
ting that we should record grief at the present
war and earnestly pray for its end.
II IA only when we descry a tendency in some
quarters to ask for peace regardless OF its price
and regardless Of its consequences that we can
hesitate II is one Of the evils Of peace fanaticsm
that II tends TO lose sight of large factors and can
see only the immediate horrors and pain and sur
fering. Heaven knows these are terrible enough
10 us three thousand miles away, they come with
sicLeuin1 reiteration 1t scarcely needs the news
papers OF Paris and London and Berlin to assure
MS that no blood lust or mad enthusiasm drives
the peoples of Europe to send their youth out to
their death and manning Stern resolve, devoted
faith in each nations cause, stands behind each
battle line. The greatest war of Europe is furnish
in, added proof OF Mr. Norman Angels contention
that war is usually entered into not from base and
ignobc motives, but rather with a spirit Of e1-
allied patriotism aud self-sacrifce.
Therefore to ignore those motives and those
national aims and to attempt TO obtain peace By
a blind compromise is to ignore the most significant
Of facts. 1t is damming Niagara with kind words
In the first place it cannot be done, as the intl-
nation Of British sentiment conveyed to AmbaS-
sador Page and thence to Secretary Bryan makes
plain. In the second place, if it conceivaby could
be done. the peace resulting would be false peace
If no lasting value and certain to involve the
world in fresh hostilites before generation had
passed.
Let us suppose. for instance, that the check to
German success continues in the west and that
the Russian onslaught in the east does not fail
Then complete victory to German arms would be
all but inconceivable, and it is entirely possible
that the Kaiser might deem the time appropriate
for settlement upon terms substantially con-
Thinning the status quo ante. lie might even con-
sent to pay substantial indemnity to Belgium for
an invasion which be expressly regretted. Would
sveb 2 settlement offer any chance for permanent
neace? The militarist rule and faith of Germany
would continue, the old animosihes of Europe
would remain, heightened rather than lessened
and fresh hostllities woald wait only upon the
hour when diplomatic changes brought fresh
chance for German ambitions.
We are far from saying that the war must go
on for any specified period until any certain
achievement has been written in history. For the
peace of Europe it would be ia better II the people
Of Germany saw the truth and turned from their
militarist and autocrat Emperor before any inva-
sion embittered their hearts with the emotions
that 6lled Paris and all France in 1871. 1t is easy
and cheering for the allies TO talk Of marching
down the streets of Berlin. But such violations
of national integrity are grave Deris. They are
Ike the personal insult that man never forgets.
So Germany is now learning from the spirit which
auimates the French soldiers today, and So 1t is
10 be hoped the allies will realize if victory
opens the way to Berlin for their columns.
This is looking far ahead. 1t is supposing mill
tary results for which there are at present only
reasonable hopes and small beginnings. We cite
the possibility only to point out certain dangers
ana TO give the line to what we conceive should
be our national attitude toward peace and the pros
meets Of peace Our demand should be not for the
mere cessation of hostilities 1t should look rather
to the character of the peace proclaimed and its
prospects Of permanently So long as German mill
tarism and German autocracy ride to success we
frankly cannot conceive how anything more than
an armed truce is possible. Only when the Ger
man people become convinced of the unsOundness
OF the ambitious toward which the Kaiser has led
them and for which they are now fighting in all
sincerity can we see the way clear. But the prob
lem obviously does not end there. As have sug-
.asted the duty of the allies il and when success