New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-13
AS Allies

The announcement lu"t oman" on"
France arc 20 send representatives to TINS
country. including Mr. Balfour, the former
Prime Minister and a present Cabinet OIL
cor and Marshal Jofre. will call attention
70 the first and the most obvious step to be
taken bv our government. Without delay
and in the simplest and most direct fash
ion the United States should join with the
other nations now engaged in fighting Ger
many in an agreement to make no separate
rcacc. On the lowest Of all possible
yroupds-that Of material intercst-the
limited States cannot afford to run the risk
Of having to face Germany alone after her
European foes have signed treaty OF
peace with her.
President Wilson has well pointed out
thu, we have a common purpose with the
5emocracics of the world, and that pur-
nose is TO put an end to the German
menace TO liberty and the German threat
10 civilization. Having entered common
struggle. we must necessarily make such
contributions as we can at the moment
there are plans for greater contributions
hereafter-and above all affirm our soil
darity with the other enemies Of Germany
i'm an undertaking 20 make no separate
peace.
There are already signs that Germany IS
eager to try once more to separate her
enemies and TO enlist the United States as
an advance agent of German peace. We
must not have anything to do with such
nroposal. and the best evidence that we
can give Germany Of our determination to
share in the war will be to set our hand to
an engagement to fight as long as those
who are now allied against her In victory
asst wear. with a Rumania PROSTATE under
her heel. Germany made peace gesture.
We know now what her peace proposals
mean. They mean to fasten upon the
\ world the German system, TO leave in Ger
i man hands portions of Belgium and Serbia
and the control Of Turkey. They mean to
partition Russia and TO perpetuate Ger
man domination over the Savs and Latns
as well as Austrans and Magyars in Aus
tria-Hungary. Such peace terms were be-
meath contempt then and cannot have
acquired value in the ebb Of German mill
tary prospects since that time.
The Allied terms Of peace are well known.
They are founded on the principle cited by
Mr.. Wilson in his famous message, the
principle which permits men to choose
their own government and their own form
Of government. They include the restora-
ton of Belgium to the Belgian people, Of
Poland to the Polish people the liberation
of the Slavs of Austria and the return to
France Of that portion. of the French
fatherland torn from her against the
unanimous protest of the people Of Alsace-
Lorraine forty-six years ago.
German militarism, the Prussian idea,
grows weaker. 1t is approaching defeat
which it must undergo before it can be
abolished from the face Of the earth. Now
it is seeking TO escape judgment at home
by promising concessions Of partial nat
ure TO the German people, postponed until
the coming of peace. Similarly it is seek
ing TO escape defeat by proposing once
more a peace which will leave It with some
portions of its reputation mistaken and
some fraction of its stealings and its con-
quests not yet reconquered.
Let US join hands with the free nations
Of the world in a common agreement 20
make no peace until German armies have
been defeated, German autocracy has been
humbled and the free nations Of the world
have won for democracy an end 70 the
German peril.
Mr.. Balfour and Marshal Joffre will be
welcomed in America-Mr. Balfour for
his eminence as statesman and as a
scholar, and because Of his friendship for
the United States, which is well known
here and has been proven frequently at
home. The welcome 20 the Marshal of
France, who remains the greatest soldier
OF the war, the victor Of the Marne. the
man who opened the way for the destruc-
ton Of German military power, is assured.
lie will find in the United States a greet