New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-30
Belgium and Peace.


that Bethmann- Hollweg is on his way to
Vienna TO confer on the terms Of peace
which the Central Powers are shortly to
offer their enemies. But this much the
whole world does know: Germany must
have peace. And not less clear is the fact
that for many weeks Germany has been
eagerly seeking in every direction means
Of inviting negotiation.
1t is true, as all German newspapers
and many German writers confess,
that Germany is suffering from a
shortage Of food, which is daily becoming
more serious. We know that the crops Of
last summer, upon which so much de-
pended. were mainly failures, because OF
a long period of drought. We know that
the potato has become the chief article
of diet for millions, and that the lack Of
meat, of fats, of milk, is rouslng wide
spread apprehension and resentment; for
not even the German can live by hate
alone.
More than this, we know that the Ger
man losses have been frightful beyond
even the expectation of those who forecast
that the casualty lists would make future
war impossible. Not less than 3,5OOOOO
Germans have been killed, captured or
wounded in the first sixteen months of
the conflict, and this hideous total takes
no account of those who have been elimi-
mated by sickness. The reserves in men
and in food are almost at an end, and
when they are exhausted the collapse must
come.
More than all else the peril to Germany
to-day comes from the British blockade;
It is a strangling moose at the neck of the
Fatherland, and week by week it is becom-
ing more and more effective. The whole
economic life of the Empire is paralyzed;
the markets for the manufactures whereby
Germany lived are sealed up by the Brit
ish fleet. Now and then a German diplo-
mat in a foreign land obtains permission
from the British TO sail by neutral ship,
but save for this the sea is forbidden to
the Germans; they cannot 90 down to the
sea in ships nor send forth their products,
nor can they receive food or aught else
from abroad.
Not only is the British blockade an ever
mounting evil, but there is for Germany
no means of striking back. For every
British casualty there Rave been seven
German casualties. Germany's highly
trained industrial army is being day by
day more and more rapidly drawn into the
military army, and those whose labor gave
German export trade its prosperity are be-
coming cannon fodder. England has only
begun to send her masses to the field; her
losses so far are insignificant when COM
pared with the German, and there is no
conceivable way by which Germany can
strike back at Great Britain to balance
the misery and suffering Britain is carry
ing far and wide in Germany.
The hope of victory-of any sort Of VIC
tory-has long gone from the minds OF
German statesmen; what they can now
hope for is only that smaller gain that
might be picked up if the Allies grew
weary and decided that too great price
must be paid TO complete the work of
crushing German But who can believe
this is likely? Who can believe that the
Allies Neould consent to permit Germany
to profit by an inch of territory or by one
more enslayed subject for her crime
against humanity?
There can be no thought Of peace in
Paris. London or Petrograd while Ger
man soldier remains on Belgian soil, be-
cause the real issue, the great, all-impor-
tant issue, Of the war is Belgium. While
a German soldier remains on Belgian soil
Germany is still an outlaw among the
nations: she is a criminal TO be hunted,
creature beyond the pale and outside the
frontiers Of common humanity. The In
vasion Of Belgium was breach in the
wall Of all human law and all that man
kind has believed was divine right. II
was an act criminal base, beyond all that
human tongue can describe. and that act
makes it impossible FOR al nations who
claim 10 be fighting for humanity and
civilization 10 think Of peace.
The German invasion Of Belgium was
a challenge TO all men and TO all races
II was an appeal 70 brute force. to vio.
lencc. 10 murder and TO what is worse than
murder. by a race which by that act re-
undated all that civilization and humanity
have achieved in the years that extend
from barbarism 10 our own time.
10 the first crime, the invasion Of rights
and Liberties, there were promptly added
other crimes far more terrible. Let no
American forget at this time the murdered
and dishonored women and children Of Lou
vain, Of Aergchot Of Malines, the crimes
that filed the world with. their enormity
and will remain q lasting blot upon Tho
TeutOnic race. Let no American, moved
hSpity now for the suffering in Germany
M Il ,,ro.t and ,,,iU presently be far