New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-18

Germany will consent TO return to the
Europe of August, 1914, and not until
they are conquered can Britain, France or
Russia agree to any other conditions OF
peace.
Napoleon at the zenith of his power was
ready for peace that left France supreme
in Europe. but ultimately his enemies, the
states he had invaded and crushed, as Ger
many has failed to crush her opponents,
realized that only when France had re-
turned to her old frontiers and the dream
of world empire had been laid in the blood
and ashes of defeat could there be peace
in Europe which permitted all nations 70
enjoy existence.
The war in Europe must go Oh because
the issue of the war is not province or
principle. In 1871 peace was possible be-
cause Germany sought only frontier and
unity. For the loss to France Of Alsace
and Lorraine Europe cared little, because
it did not seemingly destroy the balance OF
power. Germany, Italy and Austria could
make peace in 1866 because no major
European question was at stake.
To-day no peace is possible because the
issue is the independence of Europe, and the
independence not merely of Belgium and
Serbia. but Of France, and the existence
Of the British Empire are imperiiled
by German supremacy at Constantinople,
and Italian safety is destroyed If Austria
remains a German subject-nation, with
German naval power seated on the Adrl-
attic at Trieste, Cattaro, and tomorrow
at Valona.
The war will go on because there is not
a single point of agreement conceivable
between the contestants. The German
dream Of world empire is still within the
Kaiser's grasp on any basis of peace that
can to-day be proposed. Spain and France
fought for European supremacy They In
turn endeavored to reproduce the Roman
system and the Roman sway. They failed,
but until their failure was defnitive per-
manent peace was impossible. Germany is
to-day playing the same role. There can
be no peace until she, too, abandons 1t.
Nothing is more foolish or more futile
to-day than talk or thought Of peace, par
ticularly among neutrals. There can be no
peace for men fighting for their lives until
life is assured. There can be no assurance
of life for France, Russia or Great Britain
until the German dream of world power
has been destroyed. 1t took Europe ten
years to dispose of the Napoleonic menace
it will take shorter time to dispose of
the German, because it is Napoleonism
with Napoleon left out, but the time for
peace is still far in the future.
Fortunately for France and Great Brit
ain-for the world, as The Tribune believes
the peril of complete German success has
been disposed Of France, Russia and
Great Britain keep the field with growing
power and mistaken will. The blood tax
on Germany has begun TO tell; the British
naval moose has been drawn to suffocation.
German advance has terminated in the
East and the West only in the Balkans is
there progress still.
All doubt of the outcome Of the war as 4
military problem has passed. Such doubt
as there might be as to the endurance and
will of the Allies diminishes in the face Of
recent evidence, of which the Paris con-
ference is but one detail. But one, per-
haps two years more Of war are seemingly
inescapable, for peace is impossible while
those who rule Germany cling to the belief
that it is within their power to organize
Europe, dominate the lesser peoples and
build upon the ruins of French, Brit
ish and Russian empires the structure of
Deutschland uber Allies"