The Washington herald., 1916-11-05
Peace Demands of Powers
Merely "Words," Says Writer

Italy most of the province Of Dalma-
tia, on the eastern shore of the Adri-
attic, can. be stated positively.
There are some points upon which
the entente countries are agreed. The
restoration to complete independence
of Belgium, Serbia and Montenegro Is
necessary at the peace conference, II
these countries are not reconQuered
hrst; Belgium comes first in the eyes
Of Britain and France, the small Slav
countries in the Russian view, but
Russia has no objection to the best
possible bargain being driven for Bel
gium, and the party in Britain that
desires a free outlet for Germany in
the Near East, a slogan involving the
vassalage of Serbia, Is not strong
enough to prevent the western allies
from agreeing to what is as much a
point of honor for Russia as is the
freedom of Belgium for the English
and French. And here We have the
tions" Is hammered home by orators
of the entente when they discuss
peace; the phrase is harmless, because
1t offends none of the allies.
Britain VIII Fight On.
Britain proposes to fight on until she
can compel Germany to yield all her
colonies and to restore from the interned
German merchant marine an amount Of
tonnage equal to that sunk by subma-
rines. The colonies are necessary not be-
cause more territory is wanted by the
London authorities, but because the feel
ings of South Africa and Australia
would be seriously injured II the lands
conquered by them were given back, and
so their retention Is forced in the inter
ests Of the imperial goodwill which after
the war is expected to bind together the
empire. The demand for shipping as an
indemnity is, of course, purely a CONNER
cial measure. whatever fine phrases may
be used about it. and as more and more
ships are sunk 1t becomes more import
ant, in the British view, for the COM
mercial future of the empire that Brit
ain shall not fall behind in the race for
trade while German ships get the busi-
ness. None Of the allies are likely to OBJ
ject to either of the main British de-
mands, especially as they will themselves
get some OF the German ships. 1l-feel-
ing might arise only IL Britain refused to
stop fighting until these terms were
granted after, say, France had had
enough and was willing to grant less
onerous terms. There is a strong dispo-
sition in high circles in London to de-
mand that the German fleet be given to
England. 1 have been assured that this
"
but have not been able to obtain confirm
alton in competent quarters.
France, the hardest hit Of the great
entente powers, will insist upon annexa-
ton in Lorraine to the fortress of Metz
II victory Is achieved. not SO much for
the fortress itself as because the district
of Briey between Verdun and Metz con-
tains 80 per cent of French iron ore,
while that part Of this district annexed
by Germany from France In 1871 pro-
duced before the war A,0o0.oo0 Of the $,-
100000 tons Of ore mined yearly. This
matter of iron ore is little debated by
press and public, but Is one Of the most
important issues OF the whole war, and
probably determined the German on
slaught upon Verdun. Not only did the
German successes early in the war force
France to import most of her iron and
steel from America, as the French NUM-
tons minister recently admitted. but by
seizing the French and Luxembourg mines
Germany increased her own output from
q, ,ooc 900 to 100000 tons, which increase
alone has made possible, her imports cut
OF, the tremendous munition and cannon
superiority she possessed during the FIRST
two years. Every metallurgist who has
examined the subject declares Germany
would have been beaten to earth long
ago but for the ore in the Briey district.
France wants the whole district back;
II she gets it, it will produce for her S6-
900, 900 tons a year against 100000 tons
Germany can mine.
Senator Beranger, secretary Of the
senatorial defense commission, recently
said in Paris, Every one Of US recog-
nizes that iron Is king in this war. That
Is why Germany has flung herself on the
district of Briey, which produces 90 per
cent OF our ore, and why she has done
everything in her power to keep 1t. That
is the real object of the Verdun attack.
and of the mad submarine warfare which
aimed at preventing US from obtaining
iron from England and America The
six German economic unions have told
the chancellor that 1t would have been
impossible to carry on this war II the
production of iron and steel had not
doubled since August, 1914; and since so
to 80 per cent Of this depends on the ore