Grand Forks herald., 1917-02-07
A MOVE TOWARD PEACE.

X There is at least a basis of proba-
q bility in the view, which is not an un-
G common one. that the German dec
D laration OF an intent to run nnaucle
q without concealment and without
n evasion. indicates the purpose Of Ger
= many at an early date to sue for
ln peace and make the best terms that
3, she can.
4, If maps alone indicated the true
n, status of q military situation. the map
x. of Europe furnishes convincing evil
= = dence that Germany is victorious
ri Germany occupies very much more of
fl! the territory OF her enemies than they
occupy of hers. But the marks on
the map, and the occupation of ter
tel rttory which those marks Indicate
y :, are mere incidents, and if they are
u to be understood they must be con-
m sidered together with many other
~ facts which do not appear on the
= maps at all. To all intents and pur.
iy poses Germany's ports have been
a.. closed since the beginning of the war
b. Her commerce has been driven from
:. = the sea. Her supplies OF mon and
n, material have been depleted Her
fl food problem is acute. And the
!. strength of the allies in available
- men and munitions and all the equip
b., ment of war, if they have not yet
tlsreached their possible maximum, are
STAT the highest point that they have
wsreached since the war begun F.x-
Ftcept in Rumania. the full tale of
h (which has not yet been told, the
- sheen unable to make any headwav
t. against their adversaries, while in
d Sareas where the concentration of men
aEand material is the greatest as on
ifsthe Somme. they have been forced
Wand pounded back whenever their
senernies chose to put forth the neces-
asary effort And there are now held
wGn reserve, ready to be used against
:, Hhem when the proper moment ar
n srives, some millions Of men. thor
toughly armed and equipped, who
t!shave not yet smelled powder or en-
ss,stered a trench in this war
The German government has kept
n before the German people constantly
2 Rhe idea that Germany is victorious.
., u,sAs victors they have offered peace,
land the offer has been rejected. If
tnow they realize that they cannot die
nktate peace as victors, what remains?
tlgThe confession of defeat would be
e shumiliating. Moreover. sit might be
q dangerous to the German rulers. If
G. the German people should at last
income to realize that they have been
rsfooled and misled, and that while
their rulers were uttering brave
words and promising the complete
fSanquishment of their enemies, they
were merely holding on with des-
operation to a hopeless situation, their
lsEresentment would know bounds.
cfDynasties have been overturned and
nsrepublics established on less provo
t,.eation.
II The explanation Of Germany's
= many observers is that the German
r government, realizing the certainty
F of utter defeat in the very near fu-
: ture, has determined on course
I which will array against it every
4 neutral nation of consequence in the
world. Germany may then yield with
{. good grace, and the explanation can
a. be rendered to the people that while
81 Germany had beaten all her former
- adversaries, she could not be expect
.S, ed to stand out against the world.
rs This explanation may not be at all
correct. But it has at least the ap-
7 pearance of reasonableness.