New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-14
Conditions Of Peace-Real and
lllusory


be a conference Of representatives Of the
nations at war, and that at this confer
ence the basis Of negotiation shall be the
restoration Of Belgium and the return TO
the territorial conditions Of July, 1914,
The Tribune believes that a distinct step
toward ultimate peace will have been
taken, even if, as is probable, this pro-
posal is rejected by the Allies at the pres
ent time.
1t is inevitable that such a proposal
would be regarded by the enemies of Ger
many as an evidence Of weakness; it is
conceivable that they possess better evil
dence than we in America can have Of the
internal conditions of Germany. 1t is
probable that at this time the French
would not consider the abandonment Of
their justified aspiration TO repossess the
provinces ruthlessly and wrongfully taken
from them in 1871, and that Italy would
not agree to renounce her claims to the
Italian-speaking districts Of Austria
above all to Trent, which is the key to
Northern Italy Nor can we believe that
Russia, after such great sacrifices and
losses. would now forego her hope Of win
wing Constantinople.
But it must equally be recognized that
with such a German proposal as the fore
going in the minds Of the peoples of the
Allied countries it would be necessary for
their soldiers and their statesmen TO de-
monstrate in the next campaign that COM
plete victory was possible. 1t is probable
that the peoples Of France, Russia, Britain
and Italy are resigned, even ready, to
bear the burden of another summer Of
war, because they have confidence that it
sill bring victory. But it is hard to be-
lieve that their determination passes this
point, always provided that prospective
peace means a restoration Of the condi-
tons of 1914, and therefore a guarantee
of their integrity and the preservation Of
the balance of power, which assures the
liberty Of Europe.
Unless such a definite proposition &C
companies the German offer, however, we
must conclude that Germany has taken
the present step for reasons of policy-to
rally her own people, TO enlist the support
of neutrals, and above all 10 disorganize
the forces of her enemies and to stimulate
the agitation for peace within the Allied
countries. AS move Of war, as a piece
of higher political strategy, the German
prefer cannot have any meaning for neu-
trails, who are properly eager to see just
peace terminate terrible war, but are
equally concerned in the preservation Of
the liberties Of Europe and Of the world.
AS The Tribune said the other day, the
main issue Of the war is the preservation
of the balance Of power in Europe. This
balance Of power has been destroyed by
German conquests during the war. Unless
Germany now agrees to renounce all her
conquests, she constitutes a menace TO Eu-
ropean freedom wholly comparable to the
menace of France under Louis XIV and
Napoleon. To agree TO restore Belgium
and evacuate Northern France would be
but partial compliance with the first es-
sential Of peace for if it is Of no conse-
quence TO the preservation Of the balance
of power in Europe whether all of Poland
be regretted into free state or the Rus
sian fraction returned to the Gar, 1t il of
prime Importance that Germany should
not be permitted TO control the destinies
Of 100000 Poles and Lithuanians.
The present war is a German-made war
10 control Europe. II has provoked a CO
alition against Germany comparable TO
the coalitions which ultimately restrained
Louis XIV and overthrow Napoleon. Moth
ing that has yet happened to the Allies is
comparable with the disasters suffered by
the opponents Of France in the other coali-
ton wars All the weight Of history
points 10 the ultimate defeat Of the Ger
man purpose TO control Europe, because
all the other attempts Of similar nature
have failed and the coalition against Ger
many is more powerful in its relative
strength in the face Of Germany than was
any coalition against France in the past.
On the other hand, il is of first impor-
lance TO recognize that if the conquest of
Europe by Germany is impossible land
the progress Of the war points TO this) +.
il is Just as plain that much that the
Allies undertook in the first days of the
war has proved equally illusory and must
be abandoned. Agreeing that the condi-
lions Of 1914 must be restored, agreeing
that the questions Of Alsace-Lorraine and
Of Trieste and the Trentino must have an
equitable settlement, agreeing that the
Balkan question must be resolved and
that German domination at the Golden
Horn must be abolished, must il not also
be agreed that the Allies will have also 10
lay aside certain purposes?
At the outset Of the war the British