New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-04

an empire whose very existence had been
placed in jeopardy by the Slav aspirations
of a majority of the population before
the war began.
There remains the protectorate of Tur-
lev. But will the Turks be more willing
to accept German than Russian yoke!
With the control of the seas still i'll British
hands. with Russia still strong and smart
ing under defeat. with Italy and France
united against German aspirations in the
Near East. will such "protectoratc' he
long lived?
And will il I've sufficient reward for a
$40 1000. OO0,0 GOO debt and a 100000 cas-
ualtv list with the end still far in the
future? Would Germany have riSked a
world war merely to get the Turkish mar
ket. semi-dependent buffer state of Pc
land and the Courland? Take the case as
il stands: estimate the profit at the figure
Germany now fixes; has it paid. can 1T now
pay?
And how much longer will the German
people consent to fight simply TO liberate
Poland is. from Russia and Austria
and to possess a commercial and political
monopoly in Asia Minor? How many
more bones of good Pomeranian grena'
diers will the German people be willing TO
sacrifice? How many more millions of debt
will they be willing to incur to win the
title TO Mesopotamia and Syria. Arabia
and Anatolia?
The truth is unmistakable. No one can
read the latest revision of German terms
without recognizing the confession of de-
feat which they contain. Six months ago
the German Minister Of Finance was talk
ING about the peoples of the enemy ma
tions groanng through the years with the
burden of taxation which represented
pavnent Of the German cost of the war
German writer's were talking about an
nexing Belgium and Northern France
They were demanding the freedom OF the
seas" as the price TO Britain of peace.
Six victorious months have brought not
further demands. but readiness to make
peace without price from France or Bel
eium and to give Great Britain German
colonies if she will desst. Only Russia
and Serbia are now to be mulcted. Why
this revision downward in the face of mill
tary prosperity? The answer is PLAIN.
Germany must soon choose between peace
and ruin. and she is seeking peace with an
eagerness all too manifest.
After eighteen months there can be no
mistaking the fact that Germany is
beaten. The latest statement of German
terms betrays a German recognition OF
the fact. II may take another year of war
TO end the war. France and Great Britain
will not make peace at the price of aban-
doning Russia. Neither Russia nor France
will desert Serbia, and British honor Is
equally pledged in the same direction.
But at last the final stakes of the con-
fict are established. France, Great Brit
ain, Italy, have escaped. No German
peril now threatens their future integrity
Perhaps tomorrow we shall see the terms
scaled down to status quo ante save IN
the Balkans and Asia Minor. But such
a confession is not needed. The essential
fact is already unmstakable. A Germany
victorious on the battlefield offers terms
to three opponents that approximate the
concessions of vanquished nation. She
resigns conquests and colonies. Why? Be
cause she must have peace.
1t has not paid after all, then, this bid
for world power. There has been 10 profit
worth the sacrifice so far, and the toll
is not yet taken. the account is still far
from made up. This anniversary is day
worth remembering, because on 1t certain
things have become visible which are of
permanent meaning to mankind. We, who
love liberty, believe in the right of men
to speak their own language, follow their
own customs, bestow their own allegiance.
may have much to suffer still before the
end comes, but of doubt as to that end
there should be none henceforth. One
more menace TO civilization has been halted
and is patiently in retreat.