Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1916-06-30
The Prospects of Peace

During the past few weeks
there have been many rumorS
that peace in Europe is near
There is no doubt that the peo-
pie in all the belligerent coun-
tries desire peace ardently and
that they are weary of the con
test and its sacrifices. All the
world outside the theatre of war
equally desire an end of theI
cruel destruction that has been
going on for almost two years
Our own government stands
ready to invite nations to cease
hostilities and to confer together
as soon as there is any prospect
that peace will be considered,
But is peace possible now, or
in the immediate future, or at
any time before one of the two
great combinations is victorious
and the other conquered? I'M
other words. is it possible that
the conflict shall end, as many
writers suggest, in a draw? 1t
is, at any rate, not prohtless to|
consider what stands in the way
of such a result.
The Youths Companion has
lately presented in a series OF
articles the purposes Of each OF
the : oral nations in the event
Of VII, ~. A draw, a fruitleSS
result ol blood and treasure,
would mean the disappointment
of every nation. Since the al
lies of both sides have bound
themselves each not to make a
/ s ayats ,aoe. must Germany
and Austria, as well as France,
| Russia, Great Britain and Italy,
renounce all hope Of gain, and
agree to arestoration of the stu.
alton as it was before July, 1914?
Is such a restoration conceivable?
Let us consider what it would
mean,
Austria began the war by at
tacking Serbia for refusing to
accept the terms Of its ultima
tum. A return to the situation
that existed before Austria sent
the ultimatum means a with,
drawal Of the Austrian demands,
the restoration Of the Serbian
government, ard an end of the
Austrian pretensions to any
right or control over it. Such a
result might be called a draw,
but Austria would regard it as a
defeat, all the more calling be-
cause it has completely con-
Quered Serbia. On the other
hand, it would lie a defeat for
Russia if Serbia We're not wholly
restored to all its territorial, poll
teal and dynastjc rights.
Then there is Belgium. What
arrangement can be devised that
will be consistent with the
i theory of victory for neither
party? The plan might provide
that Germany should restore all
the conquered Belgian territory
and permit the King to return to
Brussels; it might even provide
for a new treaty Of neutrality.
But Belgium has been devastated
and impoverished by the imposi-
ton of fines upon its cities and
citizens; its beautiful cathedrals
and other fine buildings lie in
ruins. Who is to make the loss
good? Is it conceivable that the
Entente Allies will pay for the
destruction that their enemies
have wrought, or that Germany
will pay, or that both parties
will leave the injury unredressed!
A victory for one side or for the
other would make those ques-
: tions unnecessary to consider
5 the conQueror would decide the
matter. But the result would
not be a draw if Belgium were
5 left to suffer the consequences
4 of a war it did not provoke.
Fl. Somewhat the same thing may
-. be said of France. The ques
ton of Alsace and Lorraine
t might cause no difficulty; how
ever unwillingly, France might
. permit Germany to keep wha
/ it held two years ago. But it.
7 northern territory has bee
/. ravaged and its industrial plant
4 seized and used against it. Ger
/. many has been left almost in
d tact, France would hardly b,