New-York tribune., 1917-07-17
Dangerous Illusions

There never was time since the OuI-
break Of the World War when it was more
necessary to guard against illusions and
to avoid being captured by ones hopes or
deceived by ones aspirations. However
much one may believe that we are begin
ming to see the end of a world tragedy
and that the end will be in consonance
with our ideals and our hopes, we have
still to face the facts, which are grim
end hard.
Not only is the United States at war
with Germany, but the United States must
continue to send its troops to France, to
mobilize its millions, to organize its social
and industrial life on the basis of war,
because whatever promise there may now
be in German conditions, that promise
might easily be abolished once it were
perceived in Berlin that America had
slackened her effort or diminished her in
dustry.
The very best example Of this was sup
piled in the Russian case. The Russian
Revolutionists adopted certain policies and
certain formulas which they recognized
abolished any necessity for war between
the Russian and the German peoples. Hav-
ing done this, the Russian soldiers went
home and the Russian representatives
sought TO negotiate with Germany at
Stockholm. What happened was unmis-
taxable. Confident that Russia was
paralyzed by the Revolution, that party in
Germany which hoped to realize both great
conouests and tremendous indemnlteS
plucked up its courage and regained its
control Of public opinion. Democracy in
Russia reinvigorated au.ocracy in the
German Empire.
Perceiving all this, the Russians have
returned to the trenches and to the attack
We shall have a similar experience II now
we hermit ourselves to be deceived by re,
ports coming from Berlin and represent
ing that there has been complete change
in the German purpose and that the
German tiger has become 81 German lamb.
Such changes within Germany as have
come .o TAR are Enthusiastically the result
Of the pressure Of events, but there IS not
vet a,y reason to believe that the changes
aro Of a sufficiently sweeping character
70 warrant a relaxation Of the pressure
from without.
Had Germany experienced a revolution
like Russia's; had an old regime with all It's
servants. all its ideals and all its purposes
been unmistakably wiped out; had there
been clear and definite expression Of
purpose and desire in Berlin as there was
in Petrograd-then no one Of the Allied
nations could refuse TO hearken TO German
proposals for peace by negotiation when
these proposals were made by the men
who had abolished the old and spoken for
the new.
Nothing Of this sort has happened yet
in Germany. No proposal Of peace has
yet been made by Germany which would
suggest that there has been a fundamental
change in purpose within the German En-
pire. Such shifts and such changes as we
have seen are so confusing that on the
same day we have them interpreted as a
victory for the liberal element and for
junkerdom. More than this, each hour
evidences accumulate that a liberal agi-
tation has ended in junker coup dftat.
1t is Of utmost Importance that we
should keep our minds clear Of prejudice.
No bitterness, no honest indignation ex-
cited By the past. should prevent us from
recognizing and welcoming a real change
in Germany. We shall do in to the cause
we serve if we contribute TO the benefit Of
TIE reactionaries in Germany by refusing
TO recognize a democratic spirit when it
comes. But after three years Of suffering,
Of sacrifice. Of horror, the world cannot af-
ford now 10 be mistaken in the matter Of
Germany. All the men who have died on
all the fields Of battle from one end Of this
Planet to the other would have died in vain
II peace should come at last while the old
order survives in Germany. The Voices .
q those millions who died do rCt, cry out
sor vengeance, but they do speak for the
completion Of the work which they began.
We shall be false 10 the dead Of this war
Il We make peace with those who were