Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-30
The Allies and the Russians.

The Allies and the Russians.
Count Czernin's peace proposal to
Russia, made it would appear in the name
Of the central powers, is evidently de-
signed as general bait for all the anti
sTeutonic nations. "Peace without COM
puisory annexations and without con-
tributions" is the keynote of the Austro-
Hungarian foreign minister's offer to
the bolsheviki, which has general sig
nifcance only through the stipulation
that the central powers can grant such
terms only if the "allies of Russia
recognize and fulfill these conditions.
This at once raises the question, Are
the entente powers of western Europe
and the United States now "allies of
.Russia7" The present government at
Petrograd has repudiated the stand or
fall together" pact entered into by Rus
sia with England and France at the be-
ginning Of the war It has entered upon
peace negotiations without consultation
with the governments at London and
Paris. Its present dealings with Ger
,many are calculated to strengthen the
central powers and prolong the war. 1t
has by its detection enabled Germany
and Austria to withdraw large forces
from the eastern front for service in
Italy and in France. 1t is in effect to-
rday an ally of Germany
There can be no peace on the basis
proposed by Czernin short of the de-
feat of the allies. For such peace, re-
storing the status quo ante bellum,
would leave Germany in position to re-
,euperate for a renewal of the warfare
for Teutonic expansion. It would be
merely truce. And England, France
and the United States are determined
mot to quit fighting until Germany has
sbeen punished for her crimes and. rem
dered incapable of further assaults upon
civilization.
The Czernin proposal differs radically
i'm its indication of general peace terms
from the project recently outlined,
which displayed a disposition on Ger
many's part to traffic with her lost colo,
mics for the rehabilitation of Belgium,
northern France and Serbia and to re-
wise the political map Of Europe. But
j must be remembered that the Brest-
Iitovsk conference is between locally
triumphant combination of powers and
= demoralized ex-belligerent, and the
terms offered there are necessarily not
,sueh as could with even the effrontery
sof which Berlin and Vienna are capable
abe extended to the nations that are still
i'm the arena, undiminished in force, I'M
daunted in spirit and lately augmented
BIZ the greatest Of the nations, steadily
making ready for the fight
No disposition prevails here-and evil
identity none at Paris or London-to do
anything to spare Russia the humilia-
tion of shameful peace Sorrowful
thoueh they are for the plight Of the
Russians. betrayed first by their hered-
Harry rulers and then by their own
fellows in revolutionary control Of at
1airs, torn by faction and distressed by
civil strife, the entente governments arc
powerless TO save them at this juncture
from the consequences Of the eowardice.
the selhshness and the disloyalty Of the
self-appointed leaders. II peace is
bought by Russia at the cost Of terri
tory, Germany will for the time be DO.
slifieally and economically stronger. But
the terms upon which such peace is OBJ.
tanned cannot affect the issues that are
still at stake in the war, and that cannot
be sacrificed by the anti-Teutonic powers
without everlasting shame and appall-
ing consequences to humanity.
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