Evening journal., 1914-10-01

The greatest blessing that can befall
Germany is defeat and disarmament.
For her disarmament would mean the
dismantling Of all the Notifications ON
both sides of her frontiers and also a
general European disarmament.
Germany would then be unhampered
bv military strain and taxes and free TO
re-enter more fully the race in which
she naturally belongs-the commercial
race, in mining, manufacturing and
shipping.
Her standard OF living and wages
would gradually rise and she would be
for all the world not only a great pro-
ducing but one of the great consuming
nations. On the other hand her military
success over all Europe would burden
her with the maintenance OF war ma
chine and a war diplomacy which might
in the end be her total destruction.
Although official statements irom
Washington and elsewhere are that il
is too early 20 talk peace, such decla
rations are not supported by facts
From all sides IL is conceded that this i
war for peace Germany says she Is
fighting Tor the peace of Europe ant
that she has had 10 maintain her wal
machines and taxation 10 that end
England. France and Russia likewise
each and all, declare they are fighting
for the peace of Europe and the wurlt
ana that this desirable end can only
be attained by the destruction OF Gor
man militarism.
Therefore, what is there TO talk about
save peace-how best to attain world
wide and lasting peace and in wha
terms OF settlement is this TO be eN
pressedl
II the thought of the world is TO avail
anything in this matter it must b
clarified by an intelligent discussion %
the facts and factors bearing upon tn
case.
Nobody really wishes the dismcmber
meut of the German Empire and We
therc are foolish proposals that Ger
many can only be held down as a wa
power by acknowledgement as we'll a. th
destruction of the Piussian miitar
party and the house of Hohenloilcrr
Dismembcrment would mean the crir
pling of Germany commercially. an
thereby a damage To the whole Worl,
Il might mean return to old system
of coinage and finance, broken trans
portatiou, and unrelated systems % tal
IFS and taXes-a loss 10 the who
world of all il has gained through Ger
man unity and German commercit
progress.
There are those who believe Austri
should be carved up. the northern par
made a province of Germany; Hwgar
rc-cstahlishcd, and Poland put togcthc
again as an autonomy, while some q
he Slav parts of Austria 90 10 max
n greater Servia with outlet at th
Adriatic. But how far have American
proper knowledge to participate by dis
cussion in any such sottlcmcntsg
Take the case of Alsacc-L Lorraine. tina
looks so simple. The bitterness ov'
Alsace Lorraine does not come fro
those countries II comes from the COZ
tending nations either side of IT, F,
centuries Alsace-L Lorraine has been a
ternately German and French and f'
the most part German. If it was
| crime to make 1t German forty veal
ago would IL not be a crime today
attempt 10 make it French after it u,
become largely German Germany HI
| improved the transportation, the hig
ways, the Industries and the wages aI
economic conditions in Alsace-L -LOrrain
Ask almost any man from Alsacc-Lo
raine how those provinces would vo
II they eould have free choice and
will tell you they would vote 20 10 ind
pendent like Switzerlond hut il n
were impossible they would prefer &c
man rule and administration.