New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-05

waste of intellectual effort just now TO de-
wise formulas for reaping tho fruits of the
war and guaranteeing the results OF It's
sacrifices. Let us win it first and then
talk about guarantees and permissible or
non-permissible projects Of reparation and
readjustment.
Last January. before we declared war,
Mr.. Wilson announced programme OF
peace without victory" Since we seek
victory now that plan has become map
plicable. But some Earring echoes Of it
are still TO be found in yesterdays mes
sage. Purely as matter of theory and
on the part of acknowledgement 1t was
competent for the United States TO APP
prove last January the formula of no In
IDENTITIES and no anneXations. But as a
bellgerent it is imprudent for US to tie
ourselves down to such formula. We
cannot be true TO our main purpose Of
discriminating Hohenzollernism and Haps
burgism and at the same time deprecate
interference with the territorial boun-
diaries or internal affairs" Of Germany
and Austria-Hungary.
We do interfere in an extreme sense
with the internal affairs" of Germany
and Austria-Hungary when we declare that
we mean to expel the German and Austro-
Hungarian imperial houses and to sub
vert both the efficient despotism of Ger
many and the inefficient despotism of Aus
tris Hungary. The House of Hapsburg is
about all that holds the Hapsburg domin-
ions together. Prussia and the Hohen-
zollerns are the keystone of the German
Empire. If we destroy Prussianism, if
we dethrone William the Second and the
Emperor Charles, we do much more to dis
member the Central Empires than if we
merely assisted in cutting some slices off
their present territorial holdings.
Alsace-Lorraine might be restored to
France and new kingdom of Poland
might be created, embracing Posen and
parts, at least, of West Prussia. But such
partitions would affect the real Prussia
of to-day even less than would a revolu
ton, forced from without, which should
destroy Prussian kultur and the whole
equilibrium of Prussian life by roofing
cut Junkerism, Imperialism. militarism
and all the other cherished Prussian con-
ceptions of government.
The Italian provinces of Austria might
SO back to Italy and Pennsylvania and
Bukowina might be turned over TO Ru-
mania without unsettling the Dual Mon
archy half so much as the elimination of
the cementing and centralizing influence
Of the House of Hapsburg would unset
tie it.
Let US forget, therefore, all distant
formulas for peace settlement which may
disturb us in the prosecution of our one
definite war purpose. Let us concentrate
on the war. President Wilson has wisely
responded to the public demand for dec
iaration of war on Austria-Hungary. We
have linked together for elimination the
two medieval governmental machines
which plunged the world into war and
still stand as the worst obstacles to just
peace among the nations. Soon we shall
link with these two offenders the impo,-
Sibe Sultan and the treacherous Ferdi- /.
nand of Bulgaria.
The downfall of these four royal houses
and the destruction Of the military re-
sources at their command are a sufficient |
task for US. We have pledged ourselves !
20 it in the interest of lasting peace and
international solidarity. What must be
done to force reparation to Belgium, Ser
bia, Rumania and other states overrun by
German armies and to free from Ger
many's clutch the vassal nations which she .
has Prussianized may well be left to the .
future. Mr.. Wilson spoke Of the recon-
struction Of Poland in the same breath |
almost in which he spoke of no territorial
at the expense of the Central !
Powers. That only shows how futile it /
is TO try to lay down any hard and fast
rules for guidance in the readjustments !
which will follow the war. There will
be vast territorial reconstructions for |
Germany's benefit, if Germany wins. Why
in advance no reconstructions on