New-York tribune., 1917-06-02
Stockholm Peace Terms

tised handiwork of Bethmann-Hollweg.
They are adroitly constructed for the pur-
pose they have in view, which is to entrap
the Russian Socialists and to create fric-
ton between revolutionary Russia and the
other members of the Entente combination.
Chancellor Hollweg would not venture
to avow such peace views in the Reichstag.
He refused a couple of weeks ago to COM
nit the German government on the Rus
sian programme of no anneXatlons and no
irdenrnities. The Pan-Germanists and the
Prussian bureaucracy are bitterly opposed
to such a programme. To their minds it
represents a confession of German failure,
and they have been as frank in threaten
ing TO overthrow the present regime if it
accents peace settlement without annex
ations as Socialists like Ledebour have
been in limiting at popular revolution in
case Socialist demands for internal po-
litical reforms in Germany are not ac-
coded to.
The German government is not sincere
in promoting a no anneXations, no indem-
mites peace movement But it has much
to gain by dangling this bait before the
Russian Socialists, whose chief concern
lust now seems to be to end the war
promptly in order to gather more easily at
home the fruits Of the revolution. The
German Socialist delegates to Stockholm
are being made use of to conciliate Rus
sian opinion, to induce the Russians to
cease fighting and to turn their attention
to internal reorganization. From such in
ternal reorganization civil war might re-
suit and in that case Russia would be
eliminated for considerable time as
factor in European politics.
Once Russia had been duped into accept
ing the principle of no annexations, no in
IDENTITIES and no security whatever
against further German aggressions, and
had abandoned the fight against Germany,
would the German promises, now craftily
exploited at Stockholm, hold good? No
sane person believes that they would.
Germany, relieved of pressure on the East
bv political chaos or civil strife in Russia,
would promptly repudiate the no anneXa-
tions, no indemnities programme and hold
fast to Russian territory in her posses
sion. She would make no peace proftless
to herself, so far as compensations go, un-
less compelled to do so by defeats at the
Lands of the Western Allies. 1t is self
evident that so long as the Hohenzollerns
remain in power in Germ any no peace con-
tract on the basis Of draw can be written
which will secure the ant.-Teutonic signers
or make the world safe for civilization
and democracy.
Even the German Socialist proposals.
astutely framed as they are, surrender
nothing which would really compromise
Germanys military and economic posi-
ton. They demand the creation of an in
dependent Finland and an independent
Poland But these two states are to be
carved out of territory now Russian.
Galicia is 10 remain Austrian and nothing
is said about merging Posen into the new
Polish kingdom or Of incorporating into it
the Poles Of West Prussia. Austria is to
retain Bukowina and Pennsylvania and
Turkey is TO recover Armenia and Mesopo-
tama. Possibly she is also to reestablish
her sovereignty over revolted Arabia. Ger
many is 10 regain her lost colonies.
If settlement Of this sort is made, Ger
many will have got out Of the war all
that she could reasonably have expected
TO get out Of it. She will have Sc
cured her eastern frontier against Russia
by the creation Of the buffer kingdom of
Poland. She will have extended her po-
\ litical and economic control over Austria,
u Hungary, Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey.
She will have built up that Mitteleuropa
which has been the dream Of the Pan-Ger-
mansts. She will be in a position to con-
solidate her gains and to prepare for still
another bid for world power-this time
against a coalition from which Russia has
dropped out.
And on top Of all these demands, serv-
ing German ambitions on land, Beth
nsnn-Hollweg's Socialist agents ask for a
new international code at sea which will
practically destroy sea rover as we know
it and eliminate for Germany all danger Of
q food blockade.
Peace on such terms would extend Ger
man power more startlingly than Bis
rnarck and Moltke extended Prussian
power by victories over Austria-Hungary
in 1866 and over France in 1870-'7I. II
would usher in a new truce, 20 be broken
again whenever Germany felt that the
time had come TO break IL. IL would CON
tinue the menace Of German ambition and
ruthlessness.
Russian Socialists, for the moment alb
sorled in plans for political reconstruction
at home. may not see that menace or feel
concerned about it. But 10 the other ma
tiong at war with Germany and 10 neutrals
the purpose Of the stikholm conference