The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-29

have helped to confirm the slavery
Of Poles. Czechs. Rumanians and
Serbs OF Austria, as well as on their
own frontiers.
The greatest dangers that now
face the world are not that Ger
many will win the war, that she will
enslave Belgium or reduce France to
the estate OF a yassal. These dan
gers are no longer real. What is
to be feared is that the growth Of
war WEAKNESS will bring with Ii a
rapid abandonment Of all the ideal
istic aspirations of the nations at
war with Germany, and that the
close Of the war will see, not set
Element, not a general liquidation,
but a perpetuation Of all the old
problems, out Of which the war
came and out OF which other wars
seem bound to come.
The greatest single gain the war
could bring, the defeat Of German
ambitions in the west for the de-
struction Of France and Britain, is
now assured, not only for the mo-
ment, but it would seem for the
future. because both Britain and
France are likely to be on their
guard hereafter, and Britain has
now millions of trained troops to
send to the aid of the French, should
another German attack be made
within the next decade. The vest
ern conditions of Europe are not to
be modified in Germany's favor, and
outside Of Europe the conditions
have been greatly modified to the
disadvantage Of Germany. IL only
by reason Of the vast harvest Of
hate and contempt she has sown in
belligerent and even in neutral ma
tons.
But only less to be desired is a
subject races of Europe liberty.
realizing this gain now have been
gravely reduced by Russia's deser-
ton. The possibility that the chief
contestants will presently come to
peace on the basis Of the situation
before the war, but with a perpetua-
ton of all the old rancors and the
old wrongs, has become far more
considerable as a consequence of the
events OF the past year. 4
This means that the conditions OF
1914, the armed truce and the con-
tinuance of nations in arms, are
Enthusiastically becoming more prob
able than they seemed even last
year. This is a more reasonable
basis far pessimism as to the future
than the present military outlook.
Peace will not leave Germany in
France or Belgium, 1t will not leave
Germany master OF the continent or
Of the world; decision on these
points was had at the Marine, at
Verdun and in the submarine war.
These issues may be marked as
settled.
On the other hand, the collapse Of
Russia has left Germany still strong
and united, still holding to her mill
tary gospel of blood and iron, to the
eastward looking out upon disor-
ganized races and enslaved frag-
ments. II Poland, Serbia, Rumanta
are not to be reconstructed as strong
states, possessing the necessary re-
ourceS to develop into fencible
states, III Turkey and the Balkans re-
main the battle-ground Of rival am
billions, liz Russia becomes another
and greatly larger "Sick Man Of
Europe" the forthcoming peace will
be a moclSery after all. This Is the
danger now. It can be avoided only
If allied determination and German
obstinacy combine to prolong the
war to the point where an exhaust
ed Germany falls back to internal
ruin, as did France after the wars
Of Louis XIV. 1
The question Of the independence
Of western Europe has been settled,
and II was the main issue Of the
war But the second question rails
ed by the war, that or the indepen-
denee of eastern and Balkan Eur
ope, has not been settled, and today
there is grave danger that war
WEAKNESS may lead to a compromise
peace, which, like that made at
Vienna century ago, win strive to
perpetuate all the old conditions and
succeed merely in preserving all the
old causes for war against the COM
ing of a new world confiagration.