New-York tribune., 1917-06-01


Sir: By the spring Of 1918 America will
be in a state of preparation for war. Should
the collapse OF Russia be complete, should
the U-boat warfare actually attain its object
of bringing England to terms, should France
be forced to a dsadvantageous peace, should
Italy succumb 10 the forces released by Rus
sia's failure even then Germany could not
land sufficient troops on these shores TO con-
quer prepared and awakened America Our
entrance into this war, whether or not it Will
save France and England. has saved our
selves; for it became only too evident that
we never should have made adequate de-
fensiye preparation without declaration of
war.
We have it directly from England and
France, officially and unofficially, from their
commissioners and from their newspapers
that a great deal is expected of America
food, munitions. money and men. They tell
us in effect that they have been fighting our
battles for nearly three years and that now
we must fight their battles or the Kaiser will
actually succeed in crushing democracy
throughout the world. Without denying the
essential justice of what they say, it is not
too much to ask them for a clear and definite
and public restatement of their objectives
upon engaging with them against Germany.
Our Aggressive Defence
We are with the Entente Allies in so far
as their object cf defeating Germany is our
own object. But it is we'll to keep before
our own people and before the world the fact
that our primary motive in entering the war
was the defence the aggressive defence, if
YOU please Of the lives. property and honor
Of our own assaulted ard maltrcated citizens
We also fight fog democracy against tyranny
1t j. precisely that battle for democracy
which needs dehnition England might think
democracy sufficiently rehabilitated at point
where France or America would believe that
more fighting was necessary; France might
believe democracy and justice to be vindi-
Gated at a time when England and America
believed that this cause needed further blows.
The phrase "thc triumph of democracy"
needs some concrete and physical definition
agreeable alike TO France England and Amer
ica And America is entitled since so much
i- expected OF hcr. TO have this definition.
Most Americans. angered to the soul by
the nasty manner in which Germany has
wagcd her war. would demand the rehabli-
taton of Belgium and the restoration of the
invaded and manglcd portions Of France as
requirement of peace. But shall America
refuse 70 make peace with Germany until
Alsace and Lorraine. the losses Of Louis Ma
poleon TO the cleverer and no more unscrupu-
lous Bismarck. are reconquered for France? ?
Just how do these lost provinces, spoils OF
the victor since the days Of CharlemaGne's
sons. figure in their relation to our present
war fer democracy? France, unless she IS
decisively defeated, will want to fight on for
their reconquest. How far will America 60
with France in that. should that alone be the
only obstacle to peace?
Shall We Fight for Slavs?
Russia entered the war as the guardian Of
the little peoples Of Slavic blood; entered 1t
directly 10 preserve Serbian national integ-
rity from Austrian cncroachment. The new
Russia seems now to have abandoned all m
tcntion Of lighting for her Slavic little broth
erg. whether they live within the boundaries
Of the Austro-Hungar,an Empire or outside
them. Shall America fight on for what Rus
sia is no longer willing to fight for? Should
America fight for the ideals of the erstwhile
Russian autocracy if those ideals remain the
only obstacles to an honorable and not other-
wise disadvantagcous peace?
There are a. least dozen questions OF
similar nature which will occur TO tho editor
Of The Tribune, that astutt ard well IN
formed student Of world politics. much more
readily than 10 the present writer. And II