New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-29
"Ruthless Master"
Governs Teutons
President Says Parleys
Now Would Strength
en- Berlin
By G. w. Gilbert

wilson's note 10 the Pope, for u is
the Presidents note. though il is signed
by Secretary Lansing, informs the
world that there can be no peace nego-
tatons with the German government.
A prerequisite to the discussion OF
peace is a democratic government in
Germany, a government that is worthy
of the trust OF other democratic gov
ernments, one that will keep the peace
once peace is made.
THE test" says the note 70 the Pope.
"of every plan of peace is this: Is
il based upon the faith Of all the
peoples involved, or merely upon the
word Of an ambitious and intriguing
government, on the one hand. and Of
group OF free peoples on the other
This is test which goes TO the root
Of the matter. and it is the test which
must be applied
No peace that will last can be made
with the faithless Kaiser, the breaker
Of treaties. so runs the argument, and
a peace that will not last is not worth
making
Can't Trust the Kaiser
The big significant thing in all this
is that il has been Americas part to
interpret the thtrd member Of the
Allied peace formula res
toration and guarantees for the future.
"a futnra Mr.
Wilson insists upon are that this coun-
try and the Alies-for he speaks for
the Allies os-shal he able to sit down
at the council table in making peace
with the free people OF Germany, no.
with their ruthless masters. I'VE cam
not take" Mr. Wilson writes. 1.-The word
of the present rulers of Germany as
guarantee Of anything that will en-
durc"
The guarantee for the future will
only be found in the establishment OF
popular government in Germany. such
conclusive evidence Of the will and pur-
pose of the German people themselves
as the other peoples Of the world would
be justified in accepting This car
ries the democratic doctrine to the
limit, that peace is a thing only to be
made by the people themselves. and
until the German people put them
selves into a position 10 make peace
themselves there can be no negotiations
for peace.
World Waited for United States
Iintimated in these dispatches befors
that the Allies would wait until Amer'
lea had spoken in reply to the Pope,
and that this nation. by reason OF Us
predominant postion in the war, would
declare the reasons for further fight.
ing with the voice of authority. And
il has been so. The United States has
named the guarantees Of future Sc
curity that will be required before ths
world will lay down its arms, and AL
tho rest Of the fighting nations will
demand those guarantees.
The Importance of this country IN
the group that Is now at war with
Germanv could not be more strikingly
shown than it has been since the Pops
sent his note. The world waited upon
this nations word. We speak as the
power with the greatest material re-
sources and the greatest spiritual au-
thority. Our voice carries furthese
with the war weary, who must nave
some good reason for keeping UP the
fight
And IT is felt here in Washington
that Mr. Wilson has met that part OF
his task, the difficult duty OF speaking
to the radicals Of all nations, with ex-
traordinary skill. The problem was to
reply to the Pope in such way as 20
gain a diplomatic victory while stiil
refusing peace. The Germans hoped 70
turn the opportunity Of replying TO the
Pope into a means OF driving still
deeper the wedge between the radicals
Of England and France and their re-
spectiye governments. Mr.. Wilson has
countered by trying 20 widen the cleav-
aye between the radicals of Germany
and their autoeratic masters.
Issue Put to People
The issue is put squarely up 10 the
German peoples it worth while TO
fight on, to undergo longer the pains
and penalties Of war, in order to main
tain the autocracy of the Hohenzol-
lerns? Assurances are held out TO the
German people that there is no desire
70 dismember the German Empire, 10
punish them with economic penalties
after the war or 20 exact punitive in
IDENTITIES from them. They are merely
= told that the free peoples OF the world
will not sit down al the same council.
table with their imperial masters. A
long as the German people ask them
to do that they are told the war will
60 on.
And il there 10 aim to close the war
with a diplomatic victory in Germany
there is equally aim by diplomatic
means to dctaeh Austria from Ger
, many. The assurances OF no dismem-
; berment will appeal especially TO that
empire, threatened on all sides by the
claims of its enemies. This promise %
no dismem mberment is not taLen hers
70 mean that there will be no terri.
torial readjustmcnts; the underlyina