The Washington herald., 1915-12-10
Reaee Tarl,.

How remote the prospect is for the beginning
of negotiations for peace in Europe may be esti
mated from the words Of Premier Asquith in the
British house of commons. and Chancellor Won
Bethmann- Holweg in the German Reichstag. Mr..
Asquith spoke first, announcing that the first
words must come from Germany and Austria, in
the form Of serious proposals for general peace.
The German Chancellor followed with the decla-
ration that his government prepared to discuss
peace only in the event that the proposals come
from the enemy and compatible with Ger
many's dignity and safety. The situation cannot
be called deadlock; rather there is no situation
In neutral countries far removed from the con-
flict few optimistic enthusiasts like Mr.. Ford
and Jane Adams, who place war no higher
plane than longshoremens strike riot, will be
encouraged by the mere mention of the word peace
by government spokesmen in commons and the
Reichstag wholly insignificant circumstance for
which inquirng Socialists were responsible in each
instance. They wanted to be given some assur-
ance however vague to the terms upon which
peace would be considered. They were told, and
the answers may be accepted by the world.
There is every indication that the people of
England and France are more determined than
ever to carry the fighting to triumph annhila-
ton; do they appear in the least disheartened
by Gepnanys Success in the Balkans, which Won
Bethmann- Hollweg processes to believe justifes
his expectation of peace proposal The military
genius of Lord Kitchener in the beginning fore
saw a Of at least three years, and the half way
ground finds Germany and Austria far more de-
peted in than the allies, the result OF
their unsuccessful attempts at great and permanent
achievement. Obviously the Gernanc allies must
accomplish much more before peace proposals will
come from her enemies.
From Germany, on the other hand, como re-
ports OF the murmuring of the people, weary OF the
minished confidence in the outcome Of struggle
against odds that will weigh heavier as each
month goes by. The volume Of peace talk in con-
qucring Germany contrasts sharply with the un-
changing discussion of war plans in beaten Eng
land, France and Russia. The calculating observer
a. distance would seem to be justified, therefore,
in turning his to Germany for the first serious
proposal of peace, in spite of the Chancellor's
boastful words in the Reichstag His remarks,
too may easily be construed invitation to
the neutral world to exert its influence with the
allies and seek to bring the to an end now to
Cermany's advantage. "Fully conscious Of
unshaken military successes" he said, "we decline
responsibility for continuation of the misery which
fills Europe and the whole world. No one
can say that continue the war because VIC still
desire to conquer this or that country as a guar
antee.' 1t sounds very much like confession Of
doubt as to the outcome of the struggle and
desire to end it at once If Germany may gain some.
thing or to place the allies in the position of
aggressors if they choose to continue to fight
rather than to yield tribute to those who proclaim
themselves the victors Z
Again, the Chancellor says: "Thc war can be
terminated only by peace which will give the
gertrude that war will not return. We all agree
about that" The last sentence includes the allies,
even though the speaker may have referred only
to the Teutonie governments. 1t is what they are
fighting for, and what they believe is to be
achieved only by fighting and not by peace ncgo-
tistons
Our peace organizations may we'll subside
and neutral governments continue to keep hands
of, and thus serve posterity the better.