Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-05-21
MONDAY, MAY 81, 1917.
MORE EVASION IN BERLIN.
fRrooklvu Eaole

80 hhfA
does not contain a single definite utter
ance on the question Of peace. Intended
chiefly for the German people. il Is full Of
vague assurances that the war i going
on satisfactorily. that Germany's implac-
able enemies are being pushed To the wall.
that the conflict l. purely one of self de
Tense and that Germany's peace terms will
he fair, reasonable and considerable of the
rights of nationalities, large and small.
But with characteristic evasion the chan
cellor declines to give even a suggestion
of what those terms would be.
The attitude adopted toward Russia
harmonizes perfectly with the restraint
of the military authorities in postponing
offensive projects against the demoralized
Russian lines. Germany l. now eager 10
ride the storm of the Russian revolution.
to direct it To her own purposes. Hence
the suspension of all considerable military
activity on the eastern fronts. A German
offensive against Russia would tend to
consolidate the Russian factions and the
consolidation of the Russian factions j.
the last thing Germany wants. The longer
the present chaotic conditions continue the
better are ~Germany's chances for the sep
arnte peace which would enable her 10
move new forces TO stem the allied adj
vance in the west. So we find the chan
cellor cooling TO Russia "a gently a n
sucking dove:
III Russian wants To prevent fur
Their bloodshed and renounces all vio-
lent plans of conquest for herself.
if she wishes to restore durable rela-
tions of peaceful life side by side with
Us, then surely it is a matter Of
course that we. a. we share this wish.
will not disturb the permanent rcla-
tionship in the future, and will not
render its development impossible by
demands which indeed do not accord
with the freedom of nations and
would deposit in the Russian nation
the germ of enmity.
III this means anything at all it means
that the German government l. ready to
Withdraw its troops from Russian terri
tory, that the ''kingdom'' Of Poland erect
ed solely mt Russian expense and in flat
defiance OF the claims of Polish nation
atty in Prussia and Austria. il to be-
thrown in the discard. III the Russian fac
tionalists listen 10 this seductive talk they
will proclaim themselve, traitors 10 their
country, worse even than the corrupt bu-
reaucrats who's evil power they destroy
ed. Also, they would write themselves
down as fools for accepting in good faith
n pledge of territorial integrity which could
be redeemed only by ignoring an earlier
pledge made with the utmost solemnitv
and with no reservations at All.
When the chancellor says that il would
be both unwise and useless 10 state Ger
many's peace terms 10 the western allies
he encourages the belief that those terms
still includes, If not the commercial and
political subiugation of Belgium and Ser
bia, at least the erection of the Middle Flu
rope which shall make Turkey with her
Asiatic possessions 2 mere satellite of
Germany. If the German government has
any clearly defined idea Of the bases upon
which peace would be acceptable M this
time il owes to the German people and the
world at large n full and frank declaration
of that idea. A n matter Of fact. Presi-
dent Wilson's announcement Of unyielding
hostility to the existing form Of govern
ment in Germany has been received by our
allies a an exact expression of their own
views. Before n durable peace cav he
made with Germany. the imperial govern
pent must give way TO q more democratic
drgauization whose pledges we can receive
with some assurance that they will he ear
ned into effect. The world wants no more
treaties that can be TORN into shreds the
moment a military clique decides that j.
is strong enough to bully Civilization.