Arizona republican., 1916-12-13
Germany's Desire for Peace

How badly Germany wants peace and whether the peace talk of Chancellor Bethman Howeg is made in good faith be determined only when the peace terms have beer disclosed The times and circum- stances surround the proposal with suspicion At time since the defeat of the Marne have the Central Powers been in, SD strong a position they now and time since the failure Gallipoli paign have the fortunes of the entente allies been lower ebb The circumstances are not those which the Central Powers would for peace.
 They are in possession of all of Rumana worth hay ing. The Ruma army has been all annihilaed The line of German operations in the has been greatly shortened and the fighting the last two months has disclosed of two thngs-either that the Russians again ammunition that the great man power of Russia is worthless. Probably the latter The slaughter of Russian troops in the last have plucked the flower of the czars armies leaving only the worst of the troops or untrained hordes which could be made effective for the present war.
 The entente forces at present appear be receding on the Macedonian front and may easily be imagined that they would be swept of Greece by an av- alanche of Germans. Bulgarians and Turks released by winter and the conquest of Rumania Operations on the west front as we have pointed out cut no greater figure in the than if they were being conducted Jupiter
 The occupation of Rumana supplies the Central Powers with food and oil and other necessities for which they suffered during the first two years of the war The rich Wallachian plains and the Polish prov inces have solved the problem Of feeding The allies on the other hand. are in bad shape home as well as in the field. There a time when Ger many should little desire peace unless it could be acquired on terms almost ruinous to the entente
 Ii is probably that all the nations are weafy of the war; that Germany long ago abandoned what was it's purpose in the beginning the conquest of France and Russia and ultimately an invasion of England.
 What Germany wants has hardly been hinted at by Germans but guesses have been made by out sders It is presumed that when it's peace terms are proposed they will include the abandonment of that part Of France occupied in the present war; restor- atior of Belgium and the independence of Poland But there is nothing in all this for Germany Its prize is the absolute control of Balkans which itself would in the eyes Of German statesmen be rich dividend on the great investment of blood and treas ure There would. of course be guaranties af- fectng the relations of Germany to Belgium and Poland and the commercial freedom of Germany
 But Great Britain will never consent to the be- stowal of the Balkan prize That would be an arrow aimed at the heart of India perpetual menace against Egypt and the Suez canal to say nothing of the ending forever of the Russian dream of warm water. There would be a wide impossible gulf be- tween peace on such terms and the general Anglo French terms which repeated since the out break of the involving the destruction of Ger mitarsm, the limitation of the German navy and certainty that Germany could never disturb Europe again.
 We do not believe the proposal the chancellor will excite interest among the allies or afford the slightest encouragement to believe that peace is at hand.