The Elbert County tribune., 1917-06-22


could be overwhelmed by force, as
their natural tools and instruments of
domination. Their purpose has long
been ayowed
The demands made by Austria upon
Serbia were mere single step In n
plan (which compassed Europe and
Asia, from Berlin TO Bagdad. They
hoped those demands might not arouse
Europe, but they meant to press them
whether they did or not, for they
thought themselves ready for the final
Issue of arms.
Vast Empire Planned.
Their plan was to throw broad belt
of German military power and political
control across the very center of Eu-
rope and beyond the Mediterranean In
to the heart of Asia; and Austria Hun
gary was to be as much their tool and
pawn as Serbia or Bulgaria or Turkey
or the ponderous states of the East.
The dream had its heart at Berlin. 1t
could have had n heart nowhere else
IL rejected the idea of solidarity of
race entirely. The choice of peoples
played no part In II at all. They ar
IDENTITY desired to direct their own af-
fairs. would be satisfied only by undls-
puted independence. They could be
kept quiet only by the presence or the
constant threat of armed men. The
German military statesmen had reck-
oned with all that and We're ready to
deal with 1t in their own way.
And they have actually carried the
greater part of that amazing plan into
execution Look how things stand.
Austria is at their mercy. II has acted,
not upon its own initiative or upon the
choice Of its own people, but ut Ber-
Inns dlctation ever since the war be-
gan. Its people now desire peace, but
cannot have II until leave Is granted
from Berlin. The so-called central
powers are In fact but single power.
Serbia is at its mercy. should its hands
be but for moment freed. From
Hamburg to the Persian gulf the net
is spread
Why Berlin Seeks Peace.
Is 1t not easy to understand the eng
erness for peace that has been mani
Tested from Berlin ever since the snare
was set and sprung7 Peace, peace.
peace has been the talk of her foreign
office for now n year and more: not
peace upon her own initiative, but up
on the initiative of the nations over
which she now deems herself TO hold
the advantage. Through all sorts of
channels 1t has come to me. and in all
sorts of guises, but never with the
terms disclosed which the German gov
ernment would be willing to accept.
hot Ii
part of France. though with slowly re-
laxing grasp. and practically the whole
of Belgium. 1t cannot go further; 1t
dare not go back. It wishes to close
Its bargain before 1t is too late and 1t
has little left to offer for the pound of
flesh It will demand
The military masters under whom
Germany is bleeding see very clearly
to what point Fate has brought them.
| If they fall back or are forced back
an Inch. their power both abroad and
at home win fall to pieces like
house of cards. If they can Sc
cure peace now with the immense ad-
vantages still in their hands which
they have up to this point apparently
gained, they will have justified them
selves before the German people; they
will have gained by force what they
promised to gain by 1t: an immense
expansion of German power, an I'M
mense enlargement of German indus
trial and commercial opportunities. II
they fail, their people will thrust them
aside; government accountable to
the people themselves will be set up
In Germany as ii has been in England.
in the United States. in France, and
in all the great countries of the mod
ern time except Germany. If they sue
coed they are safe and Germany and
the world are undone If they fail Ger
many Is saved and the world will be at
peace. If they succeed, we and all
the rest of the world must remain
armed, as they Will remain. and must
make ready for the next step of ag-
gression; If they fail, the world may
unite for pence, and Germany may be
of the union.
Seek to Deceive World.
The present particular aim of the
masters of Germany Is to deceive NIL
those who throughout the world stand
for the rights of peoples and the self
government of nations; for they see
what immense strength the forces of
justice and of liberalism are gathering
out of this war.
The sinister intrigue is being no less
actively conducted In this country than
in Russia and in every country in Eu-
rope to which the agents and dupes of
the imperial German government can
get access.
United States In War for Freedom.
The great fact that stands out above
all the rest is that this is Peoples
war, war for freedom and justice and
self-government amongst all the ma
til.ra.. Of tha .r.arId 70. tla