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

the expectation and purpose of the French
and British to go on with the war TO the
end. AS for the Russians, we have the
words of eminent German publicists to
base belief that there is no sign of weak-
ening in the Slav state, and In addition
there is the promise in Paris that Russia
and even Italy will join in this council
presently.
For those who cling to the Napoleonic
precedent this new drawing together OF the
foes of Germany will recall that agree
ment signed by the foes of Napoleon on
March 9, 1914, which sealed the doom OF
the great Emperor and dashed the last
hopes he had cherished of making a sepa-
rate peace with one of his antagonists.
In the military preparations fore
shadowed'by the Paris conference there IS
a guarantee of at least another year OF
war. Within this time the most sanguine
believer in Allied victory by the strategy
of attrition does not expect that German
numbers will decrease to the point where
decisive victory will be assured, though
many believe that in the late summer their
losses will compel the Austro-Germans to
shorten their lines in the East and per-
haps in the West.
The period of open campaigning OF the
old-fashioned sort stopped in the West in
September, 1914. 1t terminated in the
East in August of this year. The Aus
tro-Italian campaign never passed this
point and the Serbian campaign must be
regarded as a minor detail, comparable to
the Napoleonic venture in Spain, which,
after temporary success, proved to be the
ruin of many imperial regulations and
the graveyard of unnumbered French con-
scripts.
As the situation now stands not one OF
the great nations engaged has suffered
losses such as would lead it to make peace
ON terms now obtainable France, the
greatest sufferer would become vassal
of Germany if she yielded now. To yield
would be to lose the last hope of regaining
Alsace-Lorraine, of clearing the Germans
from the open Belgian frontier, and 1t
would mean the payment of huge indem-
nifty and the sacrifice of colonies.
For Russia, peace now would mean the
end of the dream of Constantinople, the
surrender of Poland and the Cortland Fol-
the Romanoff dynasty it would mean the
end, for only victory can now stave of
Russian revolution. Economically Russia
would return to German control, and all
that the war has meant in industry, as
well as in nationalism and religion, would
be sacrificed.
As for England, she has only begun to
fight. With population in England, Scot
land and Wales about equal to that of Prus-
STA, England lost less than 100000 men IN
the first year, Prussia more than 100000.
At last all Britain and the Empire are
awake to the nature of the German peril
and to the realization that the best chance
they will ever have to crush the most dan
gerous rival since Napoleon is in their
own hands.
In Champagne, in Poland, and now in
their drive TO the Near East with Egypt as
an objective, the Germans have STRUCK
tions. They have been so far successful
that peace now would mean a permanent
peril to all these nations. Therefore not
one of these nations can or will think OF
peace.
What is still little understood in Amer
lea is that the war is war for existence
for France and for Great Britain. Ger
many has challenged the right OF France
TO exist, of Great Britain TO preserve her
world empire. Her statesmen, her writers,
her teachers have proclaimed the doctrine
that France must be crushed, Great Brit
ain eliminated as a world power, that on
the. ruins of the two national structures
there might rise Teutonic world empire
What Germany has been taught she has
put IN practice. part, a material part.
OF the great project of Bernhard has been
realized. Sixteen months of war see Ger
many supreme from the Beresina to the
Aisne and from the Baltic to the Golden
Horn. new expedition already in prep-
aration for the thrust at Egypt, and Ger
man agents are busy stirring up insurrec-
tons from Fee to Calcutta
year from now exhaustion without
defeat may destroy the German ambition.
A year from now all the great combatan,s
may be ready to return to peace on a basis
that all can accept. But there is no such
basis now. Germany can not and will not
consent TO give up all her mighty conquests
merely for peace, peace that would bring
I staggering and sterile debt Germany
foes cannot agree 70 peace while their very
existence is in danger.
Not until Germany has conquered or
seen her world ambitions fade to ashes and
felt the pressure upon her own frontiers of
LAa4,la arnniee and of want and misery