Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1917-06-08

S>N
she thinks she can gam new territory
and obtain indemnities. Her popula-
ton is prepared to fight OF for the
present in this hope. But it is plain
that me will to fight will not endure
beyond a fixed point in time and sac
rilce. Will the people of the allied
nations have the German resolution,
When their turn comes to face the
question of peace without annexation
and without indemnify? This seems to
me to be the great question of the fut.-
ure. and / believe Americas curse in
the next few months will decide the
question in no small degree for the al
lies.
If the United States has begun to
send troops to Europe in considerably
numbers, if American naval support
has materially aided the allies in mod
Grating the submarine n theN it
seems to me that there is Il sound basis
for believing that the allies will go for
ward until the wrongs Of 1871 and OF
the A~ustro-Italian settlement are
righted. Then, and only then. there
will be a prospect OF the indemnifica-
ton by Germany of both Belgium and
France for the most cruel and wanton
destruction in two centuries.
Russia's Remuneration.
Meantime no one should mistake the
change in the situation. Russia has re-
nounced conquests, and this has re-
moved the larger number of questions
that stood in the way of peace by ne
%gotiation. Austria has indicated a SINH
lar state of mind, and there is sound
reason for believing that the Austrian
desire for peace may steadily grow and
as 1t grows open an ever widening
chasam between Vienna and Berlin.
Turkey, through the Russian decision,
a escaped from peril of destruction,
and R1lYo 1Nin 1nnnC 1,n yn Iann 1ncb cd
Aside from the Polish question there is
now no really great barrier in the way
OF peace without annexation or indem-
nifty so far az Russia. Austria and Tur-
key are concerned. An equitable ar
rangement between Rumania and Bull
garia n between Serbia and Bulgaria
is easily ~attainable.
Russia has then destroyed the allied
plan to demolish Austria-Hungary, and
the liberation of the Slav and latin
populations becomes only remotely
possible. unless Russia RENTERS the
war with the old program. 1t will be
advantageous to the allies, this new
situation, even with the defeat of their
Austrian plans. if it leads to an escape
of Austria from German leading
strings. 1t will be perilous for Germany
just so long as the Germans risk a new
Russian attack by u refusal to accept
the Russian formula.
But if Germany finds herself still
far from decisive victory next winter
and adopts the Russian program. then
n will have the support of all her al
lies and will. by accepting the Russian
formula, threaten to break the solidar-
lty of the ranks against her. So long
as n pursues a policy of aggrandize-
ment h will have to endure the oppo-
sitiOn OF certain elements at home, an
opposition. which will increase or
n i'm n fet no h rrys~H 49, =. H.
campaigns. When she changes her
ground h will be aided by the ele-
ments among her enemies which favor
peace without annexation as a moral
All things considered. however. it
seems to me necessary to recognize
Russia has proposed a new doc
trine which is destined to have great
and growing Importance in the Euro
pean situation. 1t will not be of de-
cisive influence while Germany still be-
lieves she can win some booty in land
or treasure; 1t will have great influ-
ence, when the time comes, as I believe
it presently will, in which Germany
recognizes that her greatest possible
profit from the war can be a draw and
the allies have to decide whether they
will endure still greater burdens to
realize their aim to reimburse Bel
GUM n France and to restore the
lost provinces of the Italians and the
French. We shall come to this problem
in December, at the latest. it seems to
me. and as I said a moment ago, the
real decision may be based upon the
extent to which America has begun to
throw her force to the support of the
French. If the allies decline the Ger
man adaptation OF the Russia formula
and insist upon the restoration of
Alsace-Lorraine and the Trentino with
Trieste, we shall. probably have an
other year of war and an exhaustion
Of Germany. which will mean a repeti-
ton of the conditions in Germany that
existed at the close of the 80 years war.
No Bluff.
From the Washington Star.
Robert Henri. the New York artist. told