New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-26
rx,osure of Hollweg's
Views on Belgium a
Blow to Pacihsts
Forced to Rebuild
Entire Platform
Victories at Front Now
Causing Optimism in
England
By Arthur S. Draper


LONDON, Aug. 25.-Ex-Ambssssdor
c.,s-d's revelations regarding former
CHANCELLOR Won Bethmann- Hollweg' 8
,i.vs on Belgium and the German de-
,;rns there have been severe blow to
,ss advocates OF peace by negotiation.
yosbine that has been said or written
recently has had so profound an effect
a, peace manpuvres. Knowing Holl-
rsg As a Liberal and Moderate, op-
Do.ed 10 the extreme views of the
ns,.Germsn- the pacifst element here
has been forced 10 rebuild its whole
nlatforn. Even Massingham, IN "Ihe
Nation" comments:
aof course. they fatty contradict the
assurances Scheidemann Socialist lead
s,l continually gave in the Chancellors
bsbalf Even allowing for the inevita-
Ne bargain, the German government
cannot possibly have expected the En-
,er,e 10 confer on these terms. Did 1t
49, N seem more truculent than IT
,ssIly was after its offer OF peace
i,I.d7 If the Chancellor was maneu-
wing ne is suitably punished. These
,.rrns we're probably the decisive factor
in driving Wilson into unlimited par
tieipation in the war.
Local Situation Easier
With activities in the war theatres
reaching Unprecedented heights of fury
interest in domestic problems has de-
creased. The adjournment OF Parma
ment has eased the local situation. GER
,sinly in so far as surface indications
are a true index of conditions. Mill
,srv experts regard the fighting as emil
nently satisfactory. and prophesy CON
identity that 1918 will bring rich dlVl-
d,nds on the investments being made
now.
In addition to the rich hauls of pris-
oners by the French, Italians and Brit
ish. the capture of valuable positions
and the infection of heavy casualties on
the enemy forces. the experts turn 70
he German communicates and contrast
them with the days when Germany was
winning. .-
As "The Manchester Guardian" points
out. in the first days Of the war the
German communicates were most accu-
rate and complete, but when during the
hattie OF the Somme the tide turned
arzinst the enemy his communiquea
we're no better than those OF the Al
H,s and now with the tide running
y,ongIy against him his reports eX-
srrerate frequently and are deliberate
Il untruthful. Nothing is CONSIDERED
-ore significant than TINS uncertainty
Of the high command.
The changes in military fortunes re-
heet a corresponding change IN Ger
rnany's war aims. The Soclal-Demo-
cratic minority, which first advocated
the status quo for peace, has now en-
rolled the bulk Of the Centre Catholic
psrty and many Liberals. This marks
a decided change from the fall OF 1914
and the spring Of 1915, when the gov
eminent prohibited even discussion
Of the war aims. because they expected
70 win more even than the painter
mans highest pre-war hopes.
Aims of the Psn-Germans
Against the status quo advocates are
the pan Germans, who want TO fight for
one or all Of the following: First, sea
rover and annexations in the west, in
Gliding the Belgian coast, with pos
,ibly a strip Of the French coast;
second. a Mittel-Europa; third, Berlin
70 Bss6ad. with control Of the Ottoman
Empire; fourth, an African empire
reaching across the continent from the
Indian Ocean to the Atlantic, and, attn,
unexations OF Russian Courla:d and
Ethuania for agricultural colonization
b. Germans.
nings have gone badly for the Ger
rr government since mid-July, but
sstortune only seems to stifen the
rsli,g classes, perhaps because they
zee no way out except night 10 a
s.ish. With a stiffening government
su come a sharp tussle between the
gvyernment and the pan-Germans on
ore side and the status quo peace al
7oestes on the other. II seems fairly
plain that the bulk of the people want
Negotiated peace, while the govern.
uent is determined upon policy OF
annexation. This weeks Reichstag de-
sslopments showed that the latter
forces are gaining strength and cour-
age Whether a political uphesyai has
been simply postponed or whether the