El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-07-14
By FIRED b. PTTNEY. Paris Cor

~ HERE is not now and never has
been in France any expectation
Of an early peace There have
been from time to time beliefs in
France that peace might come with
in certain more or less definite
time. but the basis for these beliefs
has always been victory. or a certain
measure OF victory. and that has all
ways implied several months, at least
Of very hard fighting In other words.
the French idea Of peace has always
been based on the battlefield. she
has always suspected the so called
peace talk. BalIous d'essai have been
for her bait TO a trap, not sincere
suggestions
The French have always appre-
ciated that Germany must be beaten
In the field before there IS any chance
o. real peace They have believed
from the beginning that before there
can be peace Germany must. at least.
find herself on the verge of such a
decisive defeat that in order to pre-
serve her own existence as an empire
she VIII be forced 10 make sincere
peace offers
French Measure Enemy Well.
one IN france sees any evidence al
The present time The French are
much less easily guled than other
nations by reports Of German weak
tH-HE- stories OF possible German
Eeto-ltion- or q German republic. are
interesting speculation. but they are
no more than subjects for academic
discussion. pleasant topics for the
a-Aner table II IS recognized that
rs -o.= as the present kaiser sits on
me throne there is little possibility
OF German revolution
ttls death natural or violent, would
make vast difference. For the
German people would not follow the
crown prince, as they do the kaiser.
me crown prince is a Joke for the
German comic papers. and the people
would be very likely 10 release him
from me necessity OF reiEuiug IL The
kaiser died with the war still in
progress Then peace might follow a
German republic But that is only
another Interesting subject for dis
cussion- The various reports OF the
kaiser.s III health are discounted in
Discredit Stories OF Austrian DIsaf-
Nor 90 the stories OF Austrian dis
aIIecIlon receive greater credence in
france In short, France demands
something concrete before she viii
believe Germany is ready TO make a
peace that would De possible for the
allies That she is ready 70 make a
German peace yes but that she is
ready TO make an acceptable peace,
For France does not believe that
Germany viii be ready to make am
acceptable peace while the German
troops are in possessIo Of the richest
provinces OF France. Of Belgium. Ser
VIA Eumania and whole provinces Of
Russia while Germany possesses or
is overload OF solid block from
Hamburg 10 near BaEdad- There is
% "a lie
peace. except on her own terms II IS
not logical 20 expect f. and the
F-ench are the most logical people
in the world.
II would be perfectly logical for
Germany 10 try TO discount the next
two years and make today a peace
acceptable for herself But 81 would
not be logical for her 10 discount now
the last three years IF almost un-
broken German victory and make a
peace acceptable TO the allies.
Peace Talk CT Short Life
The rapidly with which all peace
talk died out in r'rance last winter,
after The interchange Of notes be-
tween the kaiser and president Will
son and president Wilson and the al
lies was remarkable. The cessation
was so abrupt as 70 be uncanuy.
There was instant recognition IN
France Of German insinCerlty. There
has been no resump tlOn since During
the recent months IN which peace
y
place IN English and American news
papers, while England and America
have prOfeSsed 20 see signs OF Ger
man weakening. OF Austria giving
away, OF danger OF a split between
Germany and Austria or independence
in the new Austrian emperor, France
has remained silent and gone about
the business Of making war
We in France often wondered what
was wrong in England and America
q 20 hn# IN a b 1aaa.
talk the wish was father to the
thought and we wondered what was
the fundamental trouble that would
make people willing TO talk Of peace
when the German armies were every
where on foreign soil and the only
enemy soldiers in Germany were
prisoners There was nothing logical
in expecting the German army 10
kuuckle under 70 the allies when Ger
many had all the better OF the argu-
menr at arms. The French people
did not talk about peace They
talked about fighting. They did not
discuss conditions Of peace They
discussed where and when the next
offensive would probably be
launched
France Ready For Peace.
Doubtless. the attitude Of the gov
eminent helps TO account for the lack
Of discussion in France Of the prob
able terms Of peace or the pOssiDil-
fty Of peace. There is no doubt that
the French people would be very viii
ling 10 write and reWrite the peace
treaty many times over Who viii
win the next battle is the only sub
5ecr that is more absorbing than the
probable peace conditions The peo-
n1e are interested and anxious They
want 70 know when peace viii come
and under what conditions Most i'm
uortanr- they want 10 know how soon
But the government has resOlutely
reuressed all such discussions Dis
cussiOn Of the terms Of peace might
easily run into discussion Of how 10
get those terms before the other fell
low. and that might lead to an at
tempt TO do it. and that might lead
TO an arm istice. or something or that
nature. with the German armies stlll
fn France And If once the fighting
stops il will be a terrible job 10 get
il started again. Peace discussion
now might lead TO a German peace
made with the German armies hold
ing BELGIUM and eight French prov
inces. All the peace in the world can
be talked in France after the German
armies are driven over the border
But not now
Peace Talk Is 1IuEEled-
Peace talk is muZZled- In some cl-
rections the French people are more
effectively governed TODAY than
any other people in the world Z his
is one Of those directions. No subject
can come under public discussion
without the consent Of the govern
ment. If once 81 got started IL might
easily 60 on and gather a momentum