New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-06
France Gives Her Answer

sian demand for peace on the basis OF no
annexations and no indemnities. France
refuses to accept that principle in so far
as it may be construed to prevent the re-
turn to her of the lost provinces of Alsace
and Lorraine. In that she will have the
support of all the rest of the Entente
allies, whatever may be the disposition of
the government now in power IN Pet
rograd.
The no annexations, no indemnities de-
mand has just been renewed by the Rus
sian Council of Soldiers and Workmen's
Delegates. 1t must therefore be frankly
faced by all the powers at war with Ger
many. The government at Petrograd has
fallen into the hands Of various groups
of radical Socialists, who aim at making
over Europe through the use of the ma
chinery of international socialism. That
machinery broke down completely when
Germany started the present war. The
German Socialists forgot their fraternal
obligations to the Socialists of France and
Russia and backed the Kaiser in his policy
of nationalistic aggression. They fought
without a whimper to crush France and
Russia. to enslave Belgium. Serbia, Mon
tenegro and Rumania. They have worked
70 create a greater Hohenzollern empire,
stretching from the Baltic to the Gulf of
Persia. consolidated through military
conquest.
The German and Austrian Socialists are
6
They are still stool pigeons for the Kaiser.
They are going to the international So
cialist conference at Stockholm with secret
instructions from Bethmann Hollweg.
Their plan will be to cajole the Russian
delegates with assurances that the So
cialist proletariats of Europe can be
welded into a combination strong enough
to impose its will upon the governments
at war and to secure peace on terms which
will make international socialism there
after the dominant force in European
politics.
The Russian delegates, intent on do
nestle reorganization and more or less
indifferent to outside peris, will probably
listen gladly to German promises. Hav-
ing secured what they will construe as CO.
operation from the German Socialists, they
will probably be tempted to bring pressure
for an acceptance of the German promises
by Socialists representing Great Britain,
France and Italy. Thus Germany will
have succeeded in creating rift between
Russia and the Western Allies, for it is
inconceivable that French, British or ltal-
Ian Socialists would accept at face value
any pledges given by Bethmann-H ollweg's
shifty agent, Herr Scheidemann. or that
the French, British and Italian govern
ments would be influenced by such pledges,
even if accepted by Socialist delegates 60
ing to Stockholm with their consent.
What assurance can the German and
Austrian Socialists give that they are
really able to influence the decisions of the
German and Austrian governments?
They have not wrung any concessions for
socialism from the two Kaisers. They
have secured no internal political re-
forms; they have dethroned no Emperor,
as the Russian Socialists have done; only
few of them have dared to speak openly
Of the possibility Of an anti-dynastic
revolution.
If Russia is willing to be duped at an
international Socialist conference, why
should France, Great Britain, Italy and
the United States be willing to be
iuped? These countries know the mean
ing of German perfdy. They have seen
Germany brutally repudiate the most SOL
smn treaty obligations. They remember
Hollweg's justification Of the
invasion Of neutralized Belgium. They
are aware that nothing said or done at
an international Socialist conference will
bind the German and Austrian govern
ments, and that any programme Of no
annexations, no indemnties approved
there would be repudiated by the two
Kaisers if they saw any advantage to
themselves in repudiating it.
Germany is an international outcast.
Her government has put itself beyond the
pale Of law. The menace to civilization
which Germany Of to-day represents can
oe abolished only by defeating the German
armies, overthrowing the German autoc-
-acy and putting Germany under bonds
% keep the peace. The nation which
forced this war on the world and which
aas broken every law of humanity in
fghting it must pay the penalty. She
must make reparation before she can be
accepted again into the family Of nations.
No annexations and no indemnities is a
programme which would protect her in
ser crimes-whch would leave her free
70 run amuck again after she had rccov-
.red her strength. The world must be
made secure for peace and international
rider. and there can be no security until
Germany is stripped Of all the gains