New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-19
Serbia


IN .hc consideration Of the question Of
peace or war to-day it is essential that the
American people should recognize the
Issue O.. the war and the sole condition
Under which Just peace is possible. Before
all else in this terrible strife came the
question Of Serbia It was the attack
upon Serbia 10y Austria which precipitated
the general confaeration, and that attack
was the result Of Serbia's just determine
ton 10 defend her own liberty and main
tain her own independence.
n supporting the Austrian assault
non Serbian liberty Germany provoked
world war. Had Germany been COM
rlc.clv successful in this war she would
have gained the supnmacy iu Europe
which Napoleor held TO. brief time.
Germany was not successful in the
larger sense. and her greatest possibility
can no longer be realized. But she was
successful to a limited degree, and that
measured success enabled her to lay hands
mon q control of the Balkans and upon
me western provinces Of Russia. To-day
Germany dominates the whole of Central
Europe and controls Turkish military
policy.
II the real purpose Of the German peace
PROPOSALS is simply to permit Germany 10
realize upon her present cOnquests with
out the further cost Of defending them,
and TO consolidate them as a basis for an
other attack upon Europe. then peace
would be an illusion and a mockery, and
no one who believed in liberty or democ-
racy could desire such settlement.
The essential test Of German purpose
must he found in the proposal Germany
makes as 70 her conquered territory. In
the matter Of Belgium she seems prepared
70 make all concessions. But Belgium
represents that portion Of her original
plan that cannot be realized now. In the
matter Of Northern France Germany
seems ready TO yield, but Northern France
is no longer included in the German
scheme OF profting by this war. The
least pacific Of Germans realizes that there
can be no peace while there is question
Of holding Belgium or any portion Of
France. To assert a claim TO either of
these territories would mean 10 insure a
war until utter exhaustion overlook all
Europe. and Germany more completely
than her British or French foes.
But the question Of Serbia is not less
important in the eyes Of neutral mankind.
Serbia has precisely the same claim upon
humanity as Belgium. II would be
breach in the doctrines Of modern civil
cation if Serbia should be destroyed and
four millions Of Serbs turned over to
German master, or TO an Austrian master,
himself under German control. The main
issue of this war is the right of small peo-
! les to live their own lives, and Germany
having raised the issue it must now have
settlement.
10 desire for peace can exercise a
Greater influence among right minded men
and women in America or elsewhere than
the dictates Of Justice The Serbia which
faced Austria two years and half ago
numbered about the same population that
or this continent faced Great Britain at
lie outbreak of the American Revolution.
Those Serbs were as determined 70 be free
were our ancestors, and they had and
q the same right 20 liberty and 70 the
) topendencc for which .hey have fought
Ger the centuries, now against the Turk
barbarian from the South and now
,..ainst .he organized despotism from the
,,orth.
y the Germans are ready 10 abandon
cir designs in the case Of France and
- Belgium il is not less necessary that
q y should abandon their designs upon
Serbia. The world cannot afford to pur-
chase peace through the sacrifice Of the
l.cr,y Of some millions Of men and wom-
On; civilization will not be helped by the
yacrifcc 20 slavery Of even a small frac-
ten Of ;he people Of Europe. To evacuate
Belgium and claim Serbia would for the
Germans be a negaton Of all that this war
30 meant TO those who have believed that
ihe German invasion Of the liberties Of
mankind must be repealed.
Americans should not be deuded by the
easy mendacities now set ahoat from Ger
r.an sources IN this country and elsewhere.
They should not allow any desire 10 see an
end Of slaughter lead them to indorse a
condition Of slavery and perpetuation OF
the crimes Of which the Polish partition,
engineered by King OF Prussia, is an en-
during example. In her many wars Prus-
STA has always had for az objective, save