New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-09
the Editor of The Tribune.

. the Editor OF Inc lI4UuHt'
Sir: I have read with much interest the
article in .o-day's Tribune entitled The VII
son Dream" and reprinted from THE LOUIS
willie Courier-J Journal" I am well convinced
that The Tribune lives up TO its motto, FIRST
to Last-the Truth" The only way to arrive
at the truth Of matter is TO hear what all
sides have TO say upon the matter. This is
the broad minded attitude Of The Tribune
when it gives space TO the conflicting views on
President Wilson's address to the Senate.
! shall now endeavor to prove b. facts,
which | challenge any man TO deny, that
'peace without victory" is the only rational
peace that can now be effected among the
European belligerents. and, furthermore, that
the sooner such peace is effected by the
various fighting nations the more rational viii
those nations show themselves to be. | as
sumo that there are only three ways in which
q peace can be effected among the belliger-
ent nations Of Europe namely, first, by the
Allies winning a decisive victory over the
Teutons; secondly, by the Teutons winning a
decisive victory over the Allies, and, thirdly,
by a stalemate, or, which is the same thing
peace without victory"
What are he chances of the Entente
Allies to gain the victory from the Teutons
In order to forecast the future we must draw
our facts from the past. When the war first
began the Allied nations said it would be
over in six months, IS no two nations could
withstand longer the combined nations of
Europe. But the forecast was not founded on
facts. 7 he war has lasted thirty months.
Each spring the Allied forces have stated that
they would bring such crushing force against
the 1eutons in the form of artillery and
shells and armies that they, the Teutons,
would shrivel up like the peau de chagrin Of
Balzac. But three springs have come and
gone, and the Allies are no nearer crushing
the Teutons than they were during the first
year OF the war. For each year OF the war to
come the Allies must expect to sacrifice 5,000,-
600 human lives, soldiers of their own ma
tions. For each year of the war to come the
Allies must expect to meet an expense of at
least 100000 100000. Three more years of
such war will mean 100000 more casu-
alties in killed, prisoners and wounded. Three
more years of such war will mean S60000,-
100000 more expense.
Can the nations stand such loss of hu-
man life without wiping out the manhood of
their nations2 Can they stand such an ex-
pensc without entering upon bankruptcy ?
Would victory at the end of three years
under such conditions be worth the sacrifice
II the war, at the end OF three years, should
prove itself to be a stalemate, as it is now
conceded to be by all impartial persons,
would the rulers of the Allied nations of Eu-
rope dare to stare their subjects in the face &?
We are told that the Tcutons are being
starved out. We were told this, and many
other such things, at the beginning of the
war. We cannot judge of the future by the
opinions and hopes of partisans. We must
judge Of the future by the cold facts of the
past. II will not do to stick our heads into
the sand like the stupid ostrich and imagine
we shall evade the hunter. 1t is best to ac-
cept, realize the truth, no matter how dis
agreeable it may be.
We come, finally, to our third kind of
peace-namely. that founded upon draw, or
q stalemate. This is the basis of President
Wilson's peace without victory" All the
facts show that the European war to-day has
resulted in draw, or stalemate; all the facts
show that the war, no matter how long it
may be continued, will result only in draw.
or stalemate. The Teutonc allies have con-
Quoted the war on half the expense on which