Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-12-14

popular opinion, as to the business VI
unjustness Of terms offered by either
set Of belligerents, before we SIT IN
Judgment on the merits of the posi-
3 lions taken by the entente or central
powers, we should learn what effect
any settlement is going, to have on US.
We have kept out Of the war, we
have imagined that, even when the
conflict ends, our only emotions would
X be joy at the conclusion Of peace and
curiosity as to what is going to happen
to our trade.
However. America may have to pay
in q way unthought Of by the great
majority Of its citizens, part of theI
cost OF the conflict that has been raging
for two years and a half
Peace in Europe may mean the lie
or death Of the Monroe doctrine.
~
While was in London the Morning
Post on Nov. 49,, printed sensational
editorial on peace, which, ] understand.
was cabled in part to the United States
The editorial appeared alfew days after
3 Mr., ;Schiff's celebrated speech in New
York and doubtless was inspired by
what was regarded in Englayd as
another concerted drive on the part OF
peace advocates and German Ameri-
can citizens to force President Wilson
to intervene.
The editor OF the Post commenting
on this recent activity, said that 1t was
apparent that America or some Ameri-
cans wanted peace.
Then he declared:
i.Now let us tell the Americans al
secret; IT is a secret to them, although
1t is known in every chancellery III
Europe We can have peace today.
We can have peace tomorrow. The
Germans have offered us peace on the
most favorable terms. They are will
ing to give us almost anything we de-
sire.
and they impose only one condition.
What is II? We shall tell our Amers-
can friends.
1.-THE German condition Is that Ger
many should be allowed a free hand
in Central and South America. We
understand that that condition has
been put forward, Of course, discreeuy
and unofficially, by the German gov
eminent, and that 1t has been rejected
by the allies. But why should it be re-
jected? We are selling our South
American securities, and, If the Ameri-
cans really want peace and do not OBJ
jeet to have Germany for neighbor.
why should England intervene!"
Then the editorial recalls q meeting
"a peace conference-at the Guildhall
in October, 1872, at which Herr Her
man Hecht of Berlin asserted that
England and Germany should stand
together and meet the danger which
cAne from America, whose industries
were being SO rapidly developed i
=
The statement about sGermanXs, als
legged designs south of the Rio Grande
was not news to me. The Herald's
well-informed Washington =correspon-
dent had. told me the story early in
October.
II was not news to an American
rope. He told me he had been
Wrestling with his conscience for sew
Sral days as to whether he had the
Tight to disclose this important piece
OF information because II believe our
people should know what is going on"
The publication in the Morning Post
removed the seal of secrecy from his
Aips. and he added this Interesting and
Significant statement:
z. General X--, an, officer high in
command In the Gern{Hp Amy. some
time ago disappeared from the fighting
HIRES. Considerable curiosity was ex-
at5rfssed as to his whereabouts Re
Gently it was learned he had gone to al
certain country in South America,
where he had been stationed for years.
and where he had made a study OF
Conditions in the. light Of possible
eyentualities.'
The statements made by the Morn
ssfg Post are sensational and might be
open to question in my mind were 1t
pot for the fact that / have absolute
nrst hand knowledge of the following
Incident:
Shortly before the war started. when
tHe Mexican pot was boiling and
bhbbling over, member Of the kaiser's
entourage visited London. Shortly af-
Ter his arrival the German embassy
requested high government official to
give him an audience. 1t was given.
Five minutes after the conversation
started the gentleman from Berlin
made this proposition to the English
minister:
would it not be a good thing for
Great Britain and Germany to inter-
ssYene Jointly and take control Of Mex
leo, thus checking the evident plans
OF the United States? There will be no
), difficulty in arranging spheres Of in.
ffucnce for your nation and my ma
ton"
The German envoy was told that the
proposition did not interest the Eng
lish government and could not be dis
cussed. This ended an incident ~fraught
with tremendous possibilities for the