New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-21

or tho British. The Frenchman and the
Fnglishman have clear conception OF
what Germany means. This conception
has been created by the conduct of Ger
man soldiers, by the manner IN when
Germany has waged the war, by the atroc-
tiles. murders, wrongs which Germans
have done in France, Belgium, in the arr
on the sea and on land
Ordinary considerations of humanity
Of common sense, of reason do not enter
into the thought of Britons and French
men. because they do not feel that they
are fighting a struggle in which such con-
alterations have weight. Germany has
preached hate, practised murder, com
mitted every sort of offence against law
and against humanity. The result OF her
course has been to rouse in her enemies
determination to continue the battle until
they are destroyed or victorious.
Peace could be made at any time II Ger
manys foes and her allies were ready to
make mutual concessions. The real issues
Of the war, on the military side, are well
nigh settled. No one believes that Ger
many can be destroyed and no sensible
German believes Germany can hold Bel
gium or Northern France, or that the
holding of them would be worth the cost
of additional years of war. There Is no
conceivable profit that any one Of the con-
testants can now make-mater3al profit,
that is-which can repay it for the cost
Of war. 1t must prove a great failure to
all sides, viewed as an investment or a
policy.
But France and Britain, and their allies
with them, will not view the war in this
fashion, because Germany has made it
something else. The way Germany has
made war has transformed the whole
character of the war and given her enc
mics new determination, new purpose and
something approaching a passionate re-
solve to punish. Things like the recent
deportations in Belgium and in France give
new power TO the French people as peo-
pie and silence every whispering thought
of peace in France. 1t does the same in
Britain; it has an effect in neutral ma
tons.
If Germany brushes Rumania she will
be no nearer 10 peace than she was when
she crushed Serbia. If her victory is at
tended by the atrocities which marked her
success in Belgium, she will only increase
the anger of her foes and give still more
strength to their arms and their wills. She
will still further corroborate the assertion
of French and British leaders that what
is being fought is not war between ma
tons, but a struggle between civilization
and barbarism, between men and beasts.
If France, Britain, Russia were ex-
Ihausted, if they were unable to bear new
burdens. the conquest of Rumania might
bring peace; but they are not exhausted.
France kept on in 1870 after four times
as much of her territory was occupied and
Paris shut up. France fought all Europe
from 1892 TO 1914, before she finally
yielded, and then she yielded only because
her enemies guaranteed her integrity and
recognized her independence: she changed
ldynasties, but she kept her provinces.
Poland, Constantinople, the Trentino,
Alsace-Lorraine, Serbia, these are issues
that might be settled by conference. Bel
gium could not be discussed; it would have
TO be conceded in advance. But these things
are not the things that weigh most with
the French or the British. They are fight
ing the things Germany means in the
world and they cannot bargain with Ger
many. because Germany does mean these
things. 1t is not question of the opinion
of statesmen, it is not the result Of French
and British leadership; the leadership
counts for nothing beside the popular emo
ton, and it cannot choose but follow this
emotion
A time may come, years hence, when
exhaustion win sap and destroy the French
and British spirit When that time comes
peace may become a matter Of arrange
ment on the basis Of the map of the world
as it then stands. But that time is far
hence. Millions of Germans will still sup
ply cannon-fodder before it comes and
they viii suffer because of German acts in
conquered lands and upon the high seas.
We shall have war and not peace in the
world for long time yet, because Ger
many has created among her foes that
spirit and that emotion which cannot be
affected by maps or successes of the sort
the Rumanian invasion promises to be.
This is a fact hidden only from all Ger
mans and some Americans.