New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-27
CLEAR AS CRYSTAL
A Supporter of the President lnterprets
His Speech for All

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: | have read, with not a little sur
prise, some of the comments of your cor
RESPONDENTS upon the Presidents speech.
As vet I have not discovered that any one
has come anywhere near to interpreting the
true meaning of his words: Peace without
victory" To me it is as clear as crystal
In the Allies reply, dated Paris, January H.
1917. to President Wilson's note, they de-
mand "the restoration of Belgium, OF Serbia
and of Montenegro and the indemnlties
which are due them; the evacuation Of the
invaded territories of France, of Russia and
Of Rumania, with just reparation; the re-
organization of Europe, guaranteed by a
stable regime and founded as much upon
respect Of nationalities and full security and
liberty of economic development which all
nations, great or small, possess, as upon
territorial conventions and international
agreements, suitable to guarantee territorial
and maritime frontiers against unjustified
attacks; the restitution Of provinces or ter
ritories wrested in the past from the Allies
by force or against the will Of the popula-
tons"
From the Allies point Of view, to obtain
the foregoing mentioned terms they must
first gain the victory over Germany by crush
ing her; as, from the Allies point of view,
they cannot understand how Germany would
otherwise be willing to surrender what they,
the Allies, ask. On the other hand, from a
German point of view, the Germans are al
ready in possession Of Belgium, a good slice
apsa arhi NJ
good slice of Russia. To concede peace,
now, even from the German point of view,
would be to concede a peace with victory
on the side of the Germans.
President Wilson, in his address to the
Senate, now steps in and says: Gentlemen,
according to the old system of fighting things
out by going TO war, neither side can attain
what it wants without crushing the other
side-without gaining the victory. Now
propose 10 take a middle course. Neither
side shall fight it out to a victory, yet both
sides shall get what they are clamoring for,
peace, and upon the terms that they are
willing to agree TO peace. In other words,
Germany will restore Belgium, Serbia, Monte
negro and Rumania TO their rightful owners
as well as those portions of France and
Russia which she has conquered from these
nations. In return for this the Allies will
return to Germany all the colonies which the
war has enabled them to wrest from her.
Germany, in addition, will return to France
Alsace and Lorraine upon the condition that
France turns over TO Germany some ter
ritory that will be the equivalent of the
surrendered territory. All the nations, then,
will agree to reduce their armaments both
on sea and land. The nations Of Europe
will then enter into league of all the ma
tons on the same principle that the nations
Of America have entered into under the
Monroe Doctrine"
Now, what could be simpler than this :?
What could be clearer and palmer than the
Presidents words, peace without victory?
Upon an immediate peace, without victory, all
the nations could obtain all they want and
without further bloodshed and further finan-
cial Indebtedness. Already the war has cost
$50. 900, 100000 and 100000 casualties in
killed. wounded and prisoners In the name
of Grant, "Let US have peace and if "peace
without victory" can be effected. why not let
u have IL? F. l.. SCHMIDT, Jr.
View York. Jan %. 1917