The Washington herald., 1915-11-28
BY JOHN R. BALDERSToN.
ICnnrright lal5l

OF millions Of human beings "Hos'
prayers for peace 60 up daily from
every country in the world.
From all the important neutra
capitals, from Washington, The
Hague, Berne. Copenhagen, Madrid
and the Vatican are coming whisper:
OF conference of neutral nations &c
end the war;" or of approaching good
offices to be offered in the near fu'
ture by this or that potentate, to the
end that an armistice may be signed
and a peace congress OF the oellig'
erent powers assembled.
Seek Victory, Not Peace.
These rumors, springing up with
apparent spontaneity in many parts
OF the world at the same time, are
the last and greatest triumph OF Ger.
man propaganda. The war lords OF
Germany and Austria are trying to
capitalize the desire Of the people oil
every warning and neutral country for
peace. But the thing they seek to
fashion from this desire is not peace,
but victory. They do not want peace
on the only terms upon which they
could obtain it, Gen. Grants "uncon-
ditional surrender"
For months diplomatists in the en-
tentc capitals have foreseen that the
Kaiser would play this peace card,
the last, they hope, that he has up his
sleeve. And now he is playing it like
a master trickster. Last March, a
high official in the British foreign Of
flee told me that Germany early
next winter" would subtly spread the
belief through the world that she was
ready for a reasonable" peace, and
he explained correctly the methods
that would be used and the aims the
Germans hope to attain.
Peace Far Remote.
Before explaining what is going on,
the WAYS and means Of pulling wool
over the eyes OF wise men, | will
make one positive statement, which
represents the belief of persons who
know the Utmost political, as distinct
from military, secrets OF the cabinets
OF the western allies. Remember il,
and all the peace talk that will ema-
nate from very high quarters in
Washington this winter, and from
very high quarters in many other
capitals, will prove as Ineffective as
a poison fog against soldier equip
ped with a respirator. 1t is this:
There will be no peace in Europe
this winter, or next spring, or next
summer.
Among persons who know most
about the present situation, including
Lord Kitchener, Mr.. Lloyd George
and the late French war minister, Nj.
Millerand, there is feeling that hos
tilitics, at least among the greater
powers, may cease at the beginning
OF or during the third winter, about
one year from now. But that is
prophecy. The preceding statement
is hundrcd-to-one shot, one OF those
predictions so near a certainty that
for all practical purposes it is one.
What is the object OF the Prussian
who control the German
alliance, and who realize as well as
their opponents that peace is impos-
sible, in fostering among neutral gov
ernments the idea that both Germany
and her opponents want peace! And
how is Germany setting about this
most delicate of Vaccinations, in
volving the befooling not only of
opinions at large, but of statesmen,
or men reputcd to be such? First
Gcrmauy's motives, then her meth
DDS, will be considered.
Germany hopes to vancouver her
enemies into such a position that, to
the world at large, the odium of con-
tinuing the war will rest upon their
shoulders. Her chances of succeed
ing are bright, for when at the psy-
Geological moment her terms are
made known to the world, their mod
Grafton will excite wonder. This much
is evident to watchful entente eyes
from the character Of Germany's
present diplomatic campaign; the
Kaiser has turned his back on Won
Tirpitz. on the ruthless annexation
lists, and recently told the ambassador
of small neutral power, according
to rumor which has reached Down
ing street, "Germany's renunciations
will astonish the world" The phrase
may be apocryphal; it does represent
in diplomatic opinion here the war
lords present frame of mind. Ger
many's renunciations," however much
they may cause, will not
move the entente powers, who intend
that Germany shall renounce some
thing more than the things she has
taken from other people. Germany
hopes that her own sweet reason
contrasted with the detcrm-
nation of her foes to Crush" her,
will turn foreign sympathies her way.
German People Expect Much.
But that is a side issue. The Ger
man war lords expect that this peace
talk will have the effect on their own
people of a whip on "a jaded horse.
Berlin intends, this winter, to make
clear to the German people the fact
that talk about indemnities and an
nexations is futile, that German vic
tories on all fronts do not mean that
the entente is beaten, and there is
only one way to bring this home in
such fashion that it will arouse the
entire empire against the enemy and
not against the war lords. That is
to force the entente to declare, in un-
terms, that it will not even
accept a draw. Declarations by en-
tente statesmen, published agreements
to stick it out to the finish signed by
France, Russia and Japan,
produce little effect in Germany, for
they are regarded as bluffs. But once
let the imperial government offer to
stop fighting and give up the con-
quered territories, and let that offer
be rejected, and the attitude of the
people will change overnight.
So great are the expectations of
the German people that were the