New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-30
The Issues

In the present hour and in the midst Of
all the changing currents and eddies' III
the midst Of all the confusion incident to
the discussion Of peace and OF war, II
s.en,s 70 The Tribune an appropriate time
10 recall the principles and the purposes
Of the present war as they have appealed
70 II and as it believes they should appeal
TO Americans
Now. IS at all times, The Tribune be-
Geves that the war itself was German
made; that It was the result Of German
purpose and German policy TO dominate
tbs world and to impose upon the world
that material civilization which il has de-
veloped, preparing the way by the destrue-
ton Of that which was beautiful, that
which was natural and expressed tho will
Of other nations. This great tragedy
which is the world war is the final ex-
preston Of the idea and the policy taught,
spoken. believed by Germany for the last
generation.
And not only was the war German
made. but the war has been conducted
with a brutal and ferocious disregard of
the doctrines Of Christianity and human
ity which have long been accepted as the
signs Of civilization and the proof Of a
general emergence from bsrbarism. In its
own columns The Tribune has printed the
evidence Of its correspondents. whom it
mas trusted who were eye-witnesses Of
German atrocities or had seen the evil
dences Of German crime and heard from
the lips Of witnesses the terrible stories of
German deeds in France and in Belgium.
To The Tribune, therefore, it seems that
any peace that gave TO Germany profit
as the result Of crime would be a peace
shameful in itself and calculated to last
but that brief hour during which Ger
man strength was gathered for new
attack. That Germany should emerge vic
torious from a war wsntonly designed by
her and prosecuted by her in manner re-
calling the worst Of remote barbarism
seems 70 The Tribune at once thing un-
thinkable and q possibility that would
threaten all that we in America care for
and have held to.
The very smallest concession that the
world can afford to allow to Germany, if
it is TO provide for its own safety here
after is that Germany shall emerge from
the war intact; the very least that Europe
must insist upon and America hope for is
that there shall be no reward for the
crimes Germany has committed and no
booty carried away and held as a result
Of the assaults upon Belgium, Serbia and
France.
Thirty months ago Europe went TO war
70 defend its temples, its civilization, its
IDEAS and its ideals from an attack which
was made by a nation which assorted that
force was the sole element to be recog-
nized, and that all faith, all honor. all
humanity were as nothing when by dis
regarding them nation and a people
would come at its purpose the better or
each its enemies, enemies it was attack
ing Of its own volition, most expedtiously.
Now as then Europe must continue the
tight until the German is compelled either
by battle or by WEAKNESS 70 return TO his
own boundaries, 10 abandon what he has
acquired by so much effort and at such a
terrible cost in German life and treasure.
Unless Serbia. Belgium, France are 10
pc evacuated then the war will prove a
successful assault upon liberty and right
and We shall have turned backward TO the
older age when brute force alone counted.
Beyond this necessity Of return TO the
conditions Of 1914 there are other prob
lens and questions. Europe, fighting for
the liberty IL possessed, has sought and
seeks 20 complete the liberation by the
rescue from the German of that portion
OF France torn from the French people
as the result Of an earlier war provoked
by Germany i'm the same spirit and with
Che same purposes. There remain por-
lions Of Italy. lands inhabited by Latins
in the Trentino and Trieste, which have
been subjected TO Hapsburg tyranny ana
have never ceased 20 call 70 the Italian
~ ItaI,on rft To