The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-10-07
A PEACE PROPOSAL FROM
GERMANY

trail empires, quite as much as the
military situation, must be consid.
cred in any effort to appraise re-
ports that they are seeking to have
the. United States initiate. a peace
effort. 1t is doubtless true that the
war is causing, at this time, a more
severe pressure on the Teutonic
than on the entente nations. But
there is no reason to doubt that the
former are able to continue fighting
indefinitely. They are not approach.
ing the. point of exhaustion. Thes
are not SO near it as japan was
when the United States mediated in
the Russo-Japanese war. They
would not reach that point, probably
for another year and half, even il
the war should 60 more fortunately
for them than now seems probable.
But there is another side to the
situation. The central empires are
doubtless able to fight on for many
months, perhaps years. Their chance
to win, however, isspast. They are
not going to take Paris, crush
France, wreck Russia, destroy Brit.
ain, or make themselves the rulers
Of the world. The other nations
of Europe have ceased to dread
the German war machine. Ger.
many will not in future, what.
ever the outcome of this >war, be
able to rattle the saber and strike
terror to chancelleries. No matter
what the peace terms may be in de.
tail, or whether they shall be made
soon or late, Germany as the over
shadowing figure on the European
continent, casting a grim shadow OF
menace and fear on every land, will
be no more.
The rulers of Germany know this
They know that their half-century
of preparation for this conflict has
been matched and equaled by Their
opponents in two years. The tiger:
leap failed Of its prey. They car
take their choice between early peace
without complete defeat and later
peace with utter disaster.
Provided. Their enemies must de-
eide, finally, whether the privilege
of peace shall be extended wher
Germany chooses to indicate willing
ness. All the entene powers have
protested, in the most earnest terms
that they will have none of a peace
that fails to insure the future
against further German aggression
Their terms are rather vague; but
they have most positively indicated
that they would, at this time, regarC
as unfriendly any offer of mediation
by a neutral. It is impossible to be
lieve that the United States, Spain
or any other nation would at thil
time ignore that warning.
Yet the signs that Germany NIGH
now be hoping to- induce mediation
are very apparent. There is begin
ming of political dissension in tn,
empire. Counsels Of desperation arr
listened to by the masses of people
with more and more willingness. i
is possible that German enterprise il
responsible for stories of peace dis
cussion between Germany and Rus
STA, looking to separate and imme
diate peace. Putting out such stories
would not mislead the government
of France, Britain, and Italy. The,
might give fright to the people o.
those countries; especially nigh
they inspire fear in Roumania, ant
restrain the hand Of the radicals IL
Greece. There will be a good dea
Of this kind Of preliminary jockey
ing before a peace move is definitely
inaugurated; and it may be consid
cred very certain that the United
States, at least, will lead in no sucl
effort until it is very sure that boil
sides are ready to entertain pro
posals.
Actions of the great bourses, ant
the fluctuations of international ex
change, are commonly the baron
eters which give earliest sign of APP
preaching developments in these BIZ
international affairs. Our owl
markets have recently reflected
suspicion that some peace move ma!
be in the air. But the bear side o
the market in "war brides" is &C
cused of responsibility; and a con
sideration Of all the factors in tn
war leads to. the opinion that it i
hardly possible Germany is yet put
ting out a definite feeler; far les
possible that the Washington Gov
eminent would act even if it wer
put out.
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