The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-01-04
Presidents Action Pains Allies--Peace
Impossible Until Prussionism is Over
thrown Says Noted English Publicist
(sydney Brooks in New York Times)

IN Germany'S peace proposals the cnleI
sig,ifcance of Lloyd Georges speech
Of last Tuesday altogether, in my opin-
ion misread it. The subject being on
the carpet, the prime minister had, of
course to deal with it; and he dealt
with it by flatly refusing to accept the
carman oyertures for a conference un
loss Germany agreed beforehand to the
only terms on which a durable and an
andurable peace is possible-"complete
restitution, full reparation, and eff
fectual guarantees"
There is hardly even the slightest
sign that Germany is prepared to sub
nit to any such conditions. There is
even less that the allies, either as a
whole or as individual units, will con-
sent to waive a single one of the stip-
Nations laid down first by France,
then by Russia, and lastly by Great
Britain. 1t is perfectly true that
Lloyd George did not bang the door
on the possibility of further ex-
change of views between the two sets
of belligerents. But the comparative
midness of his manner ought not to
lead to any misunderstanding as to
his own or the British nations atti-
tude and policy.
There is not going to be any open
conference between Germany and the
allies. Whether there will be fetter-
ed conference, conditioned by Ger
many's agreement in advance to dis
gorge all her spoils, to indemnify all
her victims and to furnish, by dis
armament or otherwise, valid and en-
forceable guarantees against another
onslaught upon European peace, / can
not tell But think it doubtful to be-
gin with, and more doubtful still whe-
Their anything that the allies could ac-
,cept as a satisfactory settlement
could come out of 1t.
They are leagued together for the
overthrow of Prussian militarism,
and their object can not be achieved
by anything short of absolute victory.
Prussian militarism is weakening be-
meath their blows. but it is still far
from being downed. Germany has
flown a signal of distress. But she
has not yet sent out an S call.
Still less has she surrendered That
she should be talking of peace at all
is a sure sign that all is not well with
her.
A victorious Prussia talks not peace
but blood and iron. But though
already she is hard pressed, her re-
sources of men and material and res
olution are not yet bankrupt. Before
thew are utterly exhausted, her rulers,
naturally enough think it the appro-
pirate time to call in the aid of diplo-
macy and, with a great show of bra
vado and devotion to humanity, to
attempt to save something under the
ultimate penalty of losing everything
Have you ever heard Of people get
ting cold feet? Have you ever heard
of people being eager to cash in their
winnings? That is Germany's posi-
ton exactly. Her rulers realize II
even if their docile and rather stupid
subjects do not. The allies also real
ize it and, realizing it, they are the
less inclined to forego their advan-
tages and let Germany have things
her own way.
There is no thought in their minds
of negotiating a peace to please Ger
MANY. There is no thought even of a
settlement arranged as between
EQUALS. Their fixed resolve is to die
tate as victors their own terms to a
PROSTATE and vanquished foe. Ihe
most CHASTITY poltroonery ever perpe-
trated by any statesman"-to quote
Lloyd Georges description of weak
and inconclusive peace-it is piece
of blended folly and treachery thai
they have no intention of committing
That is why the British premier
gave two-thirds of his speech to the
measures he has in contemplation Of
has already effected for more Vlgor
Gus waging of the war and to an ap
peal to the British people for furthe
and heavier sacrifices. That, also, 1
why the character VI these measure
and of this appeal, and the evidenc
tney contain IndL u CIedl ol5hISN ''-1
energetic pilot has at length graspe
the helm, are of far more importanc
than his reitefation of the views an
purposes of the allies.
He knows as well as any man ina
the war must go on until Germany
beaten to her knees and until the con
seriousness as we'll as the conse
quences of defeat have been drive
into the very soul Of her people; an
he knows, too, that until that result
achieved any and every settlement
must be SO devoid of finality as
amount to an. act of treason not mere
ly to all British interests, not merel
to the security of the allies put
civilization itself.
Great Britain has no stronger rea
sons for dreading a compromise OF
patched-up agreement than ma
France, Russia or Italy. All am
have had ample opportunities for si'
ing up the character of Prussian pow
err. All alike know it to be unchange
since the days of Frederick the GREE