New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-12
Issues of the War-New and Old


of the war in Europe when 1t IS perhaps
worth while 20 examine anew the issues
that are at stake, the issues which were
raised by the outbreak Of the war and the
new issues which the war has brought IN
its train. BY such an examination 1t may
be possible 10 estimate the magnitude Of
the obstacles that remain IN the way OF
peace.
In such an examination the questions OF
the responsibility for the war and OF the
necessity Of Furnishing any contestant
for violations of international law and the
usagcs Of humanity IN the conduct Of the
war cannot find place. The responsibility
Tor wars is subject Of much Importance
TO contemporaries and of little bat dia-
lcctical import for those who come there
after. Punishment Of nation for its
crimes against civilization is rarely inn
posed by that nations foes. and those iocs
arc for obvious reasons least well quail
fed 90 impose punishment even IF they
are able. For this merely means new
tracedics and fresh contributions TO the
sum total of international hatreds.
Deeply as aIl neutrals and all Allied
belHcc-ents resent the German crimes
against Belgium and the German offences
ln France. no sane man could wish TO see
these punished bv the preparation OF
similar crimes by French and BRUSH
troops in Germany. The military effect
of these German offences has been singu-
larly unfortunate for the Germans, be-
cause they have stimulated British and
French determination 20 continue the war
and reused American sympathy with the
Allies and indignation with Germany,
which have bad unmstakabie results.
The war has been prolonged by many
months. perhaps 10y years, because OF
these atrocities, and this prolongatlon Will
cost Germany. viii cost the mothers and
fathers Of Germany, many hundreds Of
thousands Of precious lives and endless
misery.
Turning now TO a discussion Of the real
issues Of the war. we perceive that in the
past three hundred years European wars
have been Of two sorts: the wars between
and the wars between a coalition of states
and one great state. whose greatness
threatened or seemed TO threaten the lib
critics Of Europe. The wars between Aus
tria and Prussia and between France and
Prussia in the last century are examples
Of the first class. The struggles between
Europe and France, first under Louis XIV
and then under Napoleon, are the classic
examples Of the second. The wars be-
tween Europe and Revolutionary France
were Of another sort; they were wars
undertaken by the European nations to
restore the Throne in France and to de-
strov democratic ideals.
II requires no argument to establish the
fact that the present war means for the
Allies, who are united against Germany, a
war 10 preserve the balance Of power in
Europe. 1t is on all fours with the wars
made in the time of Louis XIV for SINH
lar object. France, Britain, Russia were
united in something like a common under
standing before the war 20 act together
against Germany in case a general war
came, beCause IL was A000b'''NON - WV
statesmen Of all three nations that if Ger
many emerged victorious from the present
war she would constitute for all Europe
the same menace that France had for
Europe I'm the Seventeenth and early
Nineteenth Centuries.
The main purpose Of the Allies would
therefore be accomplished If the end Of
the war should see Germany restricted to
the area she occupied at the beginning Of
the struggle. Each Of the nations now
lighting Germany and her allies has sepa-
rate grievances against Germany or against
Germsny's allies, grievances which will be
discussed IN q moment: but these are quite