New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-28
? PEACE SHOULD COME TO-MORROW-THE TERMS
Colonial Questions Offer
Fair Chance of Compro.
mise - But Can Mat.
ters Of Life and
Death to Cermany's
Enemies Be
Avoided?
Copyright isis-Ths Tribune Assn.

In bringing to bear upon Great Britain
pressure she has not yet been able ~
exert, it lies within the British power 70
make this loss absolute
But it is conceivable that Britain and
France might consent to a restoration Of
much Of Germany's colonial empire and
an expansion thereof, If some months hence
| they should find themselves unable 10 win
the war by arms and Germany consented
TO make concessions in Europe. For ex-
ample, France might be willing 10 sell tho
Congo for Lorraine, less the district OF
Sarreguimines and plus certain districts
east Of ST. Die and Belfort. Belgium
might consent to part with the Congo if
she were permitted 70 annex Luxembourg
and were TO receive an indemnity that
would enable her TO repair the damage Of
the war.
Great Britain cannot restore German
West Africa or her Pacific colonies, be-
cause they were taken by British colonial
troops, but she might consent 10 restore
German East Africa if Germany waived
her claim to the balance. France and
Britain might also agree to restore the
Kamerun as portion of the bargain.
France taking Togoland as an offset.
Such an arrangement would give Germany
huge empire in Central Africa stretch
ing from ocean to ocean and including
practically all Of the valley of the Congo
It would be a place in the sun, even in
German eyes.
In the Conference.
Would Germany in the general confer
ence consent, in return for such conces-
sions, to abandon her effort TO expand
into Asia Minor and liquidate her quarrel
with Russia, which would otherwise con-
tinue for the future? Would Austria con-
sent to such an arrangement, retaining
Trieste and Bosnia, but recognizing Ser
bian freedom?
Would Germany consent in payment for
French colonial territory TO cede Metz and
the Lorraine districts, which would give
France a safe frontier and thus open the
way for permanent elimination Of the
Franco-German dispute? Would France
ever consent to renounce Alsace?
Would Great Britain consent 10 an ar
rangement which might mean the concen-
tration of German energies upon the effort
to deal with Great Britain? For il Alsace.
Lorraine and the Eastern Question were
out Of the way there would be no basis for
future dispute between Germany and her
eastern and western neighbors that was
not of her own making.
All these questions must remain for the
future but what l am now interested in
pointing out is that the question Of peace
is not as easy to dispose Of as seems 70 be
the notion of the American public and Of
those who would have the American Presi-
dent tender his good Offices for an ending
Of the conflict. I am also interested in
trying to demonstrate that the true basis
for any settlement is not TO be found in
the terms that Germany now offers, but
must be sought in some field where there is
not a direct conflict between German de
sires and interests which seem 70 Ger
4 many's enemies matters Of life and death.
| The field for such an arrangement lies
4 in Africa, if anywhere; it lies in the sale
e Of the Belgian Congo 70 Germany and the
: exchange of German territory in Europe
for French territory in the Congo. II pre-
supposes that France will renounce her
, claim to all Asace-Lorraine and Germany
give over something less than half Of what
3 Bismarck took-slightly more than third.
to be exact. 1t presupposes that the Allies
p are willing to make peace at all on any
. basis except the basis Of successes on the
a battlefield which lie in the future. And
4 none of these things can be safely assumed
y at the present hour.
Common Errors.
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