New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-23
WHAT A BREAK MAY PORTEND
Peace a Possible Outcome OF Our
Relations with Austria.
To the Editor % The Tribune.

To the Editor o; The Tribune.
Sir: There is possibility, even prob
ability. OF a rupture Of diplomatic inter
course between our country and the Teutonle
empires within the next ten days.
am not a fire eater and do not wish FOR
war. was on the battlefelds Of the Ter
rible Year as the French call it, Of
1901.
The horrors Of that period are still vivid
IN my mind. and the advance of civilization
Heaven save the marx. has increased them
tenfold.
A diplomatic break docs not mean war and
It may mean peace.
Ia spite Of al denials and notwithstanding
the gag put on the public press. there are
unmistakable signs Of discomfort among 5ne
German and Austro- Hungarian peoples
There is no starvation. but there is lack
Of abundance; there is no open revolt, but
the rumblings of a threatening outbreak;
there is no treason, but loyalty is getting
irksome; there is 10 bankruptcy, but the
financial stratagems are being detected. The
women groan for their missing husbands;
the sweethearts pine for their lovers the
children call for their fathers.
All over Germany, in Prussia, in Saxony,
in Bavaria, in Wurtemberg. in Baden, they
whisper: LET us have peace and the echo
repeats from Austria and Hungary: Peace!
Peacel" The German Emperor desires peace
but he is too proud 10 sue for 1t.
Let US 90 further. The Germans. look
achast at the heroic stand Of France. at her
hoard o. gold, at her avowed intention 20
fight 10 the bitter end. They sec England
waxing up-rathcr late, but rot too late-to
the stern necessities of the situation. They
see Italy moving forward slowly, perhaps,
but nevertheless immobiiizing large pro-
portion Of the Austrian troops; they see
Russia recuperating and preparing for a
renewed assault.
The German government has spied out IN
the distance a gigantic tidal wave OF dis
trust and hate moving toward the Central
Empires, mounting higher and still higher
and threatening the permanent destruction
OF their commerce ard industries.
And the Allied fleets. larger and stronger
than ever before in the n.story of the world
calmly watch and wait There is no OK
haustion there. The stanch ships and the
sturdy salormen can watch and wait for
months, for years. for decades. while the
Teutonic boats are gathering barnaces and
rottng away in enforced idcress ana cap
tivity.
The German Emperor is 700 proud 10 sue
for peace, but let a break come with our
country; suppose a state Of war between
US and tho Teutons. What does it mean?
II does not signify the sending Of troop
ships across the seas. No; not for while,
at leest 1t means the loss OF all the IN
termed shipping; the arrest and concentra-
ton in camps Of the German residents IT
spells further isolation from the rest OF the
world; il places the largest, the richest, the
Youngest Of the family Of civilized nations
people Of l00,OOO.COO souls with their enc
mics; /. threatens the killing of German
credit and reduces TO nil the chances of a
post-bellum loan.
Let the break come. Then perhaps the
German Emperor may decipher the hand
writing on the wall. Then he can come
before his people and wall out his distress:
My children, cannot fight the whole
world" Then he may sue for peace.
May Heaven grant it. }. il. Il.
Goshen, y T.. Dec. 10. 1915