New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-20

;s folly hut peace which is not pred
icated upor tho recognition by Germany
~ the laws he rcpudiated two years and
4 half ago would be the merest mockery
And it is for Germany, first Of ali to
rive these proofs. She has behaved Ike
a wild animal. trampling under foot not
merely human liberties but human beings
she has murdered men, dshonored women
slaughtered children in the deliberate and
coldlv calculating determination to I'M
pose her will upon Europe And aitss
two and a half years she has failed to
impose her will upon Europe Nor is
there any chance now that she can I'M
pose her Will.
There was only one reply that Britain
could make. there is only one reply that
any Of the Allied nations can make to
any German peace proposal. The ques
ton Of peace or war depends to-day, as
J, did in the fateful days Of July. 1914,
on the purpose Of those who rule Ger
many. If they are still resolved to I'M
pose German necessity upon European
liberty. then Europe must fight, and Eu-
rope is ready to fight.
We shall see now whether the German
peace proposal was a manGuvre or an
earnest seeking after a settlement. We
shall measure the German spirit by the
manner in which Germany now responds
TO the reply Of the Allies, to the only
reply that they could make. If Germany
seeks peace, peace will flow from
a German proposal of concrete terms
which recognize the rights Of other ma
tons and the independence of the small
whom Germany has conquered.
On the other hand. if Germany merely
sought to impress the minds of the neu-
trails and to derive political advantage at
home by her proposals, if she was seek
ing not honorable peace. but the appear
R1ce Of having striven for peace, all this
will be revealed in the fashion in which
tho German rulers receive the answer of
Inc Allies-an answer not alone invited
BY the conduct Of Germany during the
rast two and a half years, but also by
he tone in which German statesmen
,cuched their latest proposal.
We shall not forget that in the hour
in which Germany was proposing a peace
conference she was driving the Belgians
into slavery. We shall not forget that
The Germany which now talks peace on
ihe basis of humanity yesterday discussed
IL on the basis Of a map Of Europe writ
ten by the sword and colored by the in
rocent blood Of German victims slaugh-
tered 70 achieve world power.
The Allied nations are fighting Ger
many TO defend the Serb, TO liberate the
Belgian, TO establish the value Of inter
good faith and the sacredncss Of
NATIONAL promises. They must fight on
until Germany comedies these things or
hey sink conquered by Germanys might
r Germany believed that her might would
prevail, she would not low propose peace;
if she desires peace, the road that is to
De followed is plain.
Neutral judgment, American opinion,
will support Lloyd George in his refusal
10 accept the German proposal. He did
not refuse to accept a German proposal
which disclosed German desire to make
peace. but proposal written in precisely
the terms in which Germany spoke in the
hours before she unclaimed world war
No American desires TO see peace predi-
Gated upon Belgian or Serbian slavery;
no American desires to see peace founded
"a the surrender of Europe to German
terribleness or German military mechan-
ism. Peace can come only when Germany
opens the way by a declaration Of pro
gramme which insures that these things
for which Europe has fought for thirty
months shall be safe beyond another as
FAULT of German necessity or another at
tack Of German ambition.
The restoration Of Belgium and Of
Serbia, reparation TO Serbia and Belgium
for crimes committed against them, and
through them against civilization-these
must be the minimum conditions, not for
peace, but for the discussion Of peace
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