New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-28
WHY GARRY ON?
Britain and France Have Nothing to Gain
by Prolonging the War

To tho Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir. England has Numbered at Iallipoli
aud has shown herself even less infsllible
/ in judgment with regard TO Rumanis. Is she
now sure that in refusing 20 heed the peace
proposals Of the German Chancellor she IL
not committing another blunder which may
yet in the course Of time make the former
two shine In comparison
Lloyd George, though naturally bellicose.
is no doubt very able and ssgscious states
man, % whom England can we'll afford to
be proud Yet very often have errors been
committed even by tho wisest.
I do not doubt for moment that in a
war of sttriton, OF which Lord North
clfTe and others exempt from military duty
seem 20 be greatly in favor, the economic
superiority Of the Entente will eventually
triumph over the military superiority of the
Teutons But the question TO be considered
is whether the object 10 be attained is worth
the sacrifice and whether the whole vine may
not be destroyed in trying to reach the spec
ulstive grape.
They have already lost fourteen million
men in gaining nothing Can you imagine
how many millions would have to be sacri-
feed in order to win back the northern part
I OF rance inc Wnolc OF BtiEluH, DtTDld, hu
mania, Poland and Lithuania?
Il NAV be well for Russia, which has pop
ulation Of nearly 100000 to draw upon, to
be opposed 10 cessation of hostilties. llu
man life va. never too highly valued by
her. There Is a general saying among the
members Of her imperial court: Human be
ings multiply, but territory never" But Of
what avail would victorious France be
vii
Englishmen2
There is, OF course, nothing nobler In this
world than TO fight for an ideal. But ideals
without men TO live them are like myrtles in
the desert-wasting their fragrance on in
animate air. Such spectacle would posi-
bly, delight their northern ally, who would
then, undisturbed, be able to spread her paw
broadcast over Europe and Asia.
England and France would, TO my mind,
more readily serve the ends Of humanity and
civilization by sdhering little less intensely
to the motto "Ho who lies once Is not TO be
believed II he oven speaks the truth" than
by a continuation Of hate and suspicion. Ny
eyes are almost sore from looking for the
sinister attempts in Bethmann- Hollwegs
peace note 70 throw responsibility for fur
Their boodshed on the Allies. | have read
and reread it, backways and crossways, up
ward and downward, and unless Websters
definition of English be false | failed 10 see
there anything more than what the English,
French and Russians at the front, too, must
fecla deep and cloying disgust of this bar
barous orgy of death and destruction.
IL WAS Russia that dragged them into this
bloody fray, and, if victorious, Constantine
pie would become another bone in their
throat To give 1t TO her would be bad and
not to give 1t TO her would be worse. Let
them now, before il is too late, drag her out
Of it. OF her own accord that nation Will
never stop lighting unless the German be
possibly knocking at the gates OF Petrograd.
The people Of Poland and Lithusnia also
deserve a little consideration. Under too
victorious Entente their autonomy would not
be worth cent. BY Finland we can see
that Russia's promises are no more reliable
Ethan Pharaoh's, and with her high-hsnded
attitude toward Persia she shows herself to
be possessed Of even less regard for the well
fare Of weak, defenceless nations than un-
scrupulous Germany.
ARNOLD DE STAEL.
New York, Dec. %, 1916.