New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-07
The Necessity for a Decision
By Andre Cheraddne
From The Atlantic Monthly for November

accountable to the Germans, IL is simply be.
cause this formula, In the opinion Of Berlin,
will assure the maintenance Of Central Pan.
Germany. which, In turn, pledges 10 Germany
the domination Of Europe and the fulflment
of all other elements Of the Psn-German
scheme.
Now. if Central Pan-Germany were TO sur.
vive, thus assuring 70 Germany all its vast
attendant advantages. and leaving the Allies
TO face their incalculable war losses, could
such a peace properly be called 2 white
peace? Could peace which gave Germany
the domination of Europe be called drawn
game" peace without annexations or in.
demnities"? What sort of "limping peace"
(paix boiteuse) would permit Prussian mill
tarism to hold sway over the l5O,OOOO00 rec.
ple Of Pane srmany instead Of the 6S,o0O0oo
Of 1914. and put 90,O0oO00 soldiers at Berlins
d;srosal9 What one Of the exhausted states
~ Europe could lift hand u~dcr such con.
ditions? This would be no paix boiteuse; It
would be the peace OF slavery.
Serbia the Crux
If the Allies are to understand the crucial
situation which lies before them. they must
realize that. as Lloyd George said, the Sc
curitv Of civilization is directly involved In
the Independence of Serbia" But the inde-
incidence of Serbia can never be assured so
long as Germany practically exercises
hegenony over the 50,000,0OO people OF Aus
ia-Hungary, for the Austro-German unit Of
lis. OO0. goo inhabitants, all subject to Berlin
is geographically the mistress OF the Balkans
The pledge Of Serbia's independence. there
fore, does not lie In Serbia, but north Of the
Danube. This pledge involves the liberation
of the peoples under Hapsburg domination
the Poles, Czecho -Slovaks, Jugo-Slays and
Rumanans-which alone can permit the ere
alton of barrier sufficiently strong TO block
.be Hamburg Persian Gulf line, and, at the
same time. annul the vast advantages that
Tho dednite establishment Of the formidable
economic and military pan-German scheme
would assure 20 the Kaiser and his people.
Now IL Is much easier TO devise the de
struction of Pan-Germany than is generally
surrosed This fact will become plain as
soon as the Allies az a whole realize that
the freedom of the nationalities subject TO
the Hausburgs should not only be an object
Of the Entente victory, but also a means to
that victory. This, however, is point which
needs greater elaboration than can give In
this paper. whose complexity has already car
ried It to a great length.
In word. the solution Of the Central Euro
mean problem means everything Tor the
Allies. So long as it remains unsolyed VIC
tory will be out of reach. On the other
hand. when this ore point has been settled.
all the other special war aims OF each OF
the Allies can be fulfilled with ease.
The formula "peace without indemnities
Ar anneyations." "white peace drawn
game" and "paix boiteuse" have therefore
no more connection with reality in the
event Of an Allied victory than in that OF
German victory. The truth in nut
she'll is that. by virtue of the prime I'M
nortance of the Central European problem
either the Allies will win victory through
the destruction of Pan-Germany, or else the
Germans thanks to Central Pan-Germany
and its economic and military advantages
will reduce all Europe TO slavery. lhese
are the two phases Of the dilemma
In any case, the fact that expressions
without any practical application, ard
hence absurd. are constantly made use OF IN
many Allied organs of public opinion in The
discussion % peace proves beyond DOUBT
that certain Allied circles, poisoned by the
influence of Lenine or Kienthal. have losl
their sense Of realities. wish such insloi-
ous enemies as the Germans, this involves
a real danger for that moral resistance OF
the Allies which is so invaluable Inc
Americans, through their practical common
sense. can Is If the greatest service III
helning the European Allies to set u al
naught.
How America Can Help
President Wilson, by his message to kus'
STA and mis- Flag Day address, has ALREADY
done much for the common cause by clearly
setting forth the concrete difficulties to be
overcome by the Allies if they are to live
at liberty. Mr.. Gompers has done the same
by his firm stand regarding the Stockholm
conference. By energeticaly opposing the
nernicious Socialist theoretcians he has
srpnorted those real Socialists in France
ENGLAND and Russia who understand the
vital Importance Of killing Prussian mill
tarsm.
Nav all true Americans continue to speak
as these two men have done The common
sense of their opinions, spread broadcast
among the European Allies, will help US 10
neutralize the deadly action of those among
us who have become intoxicated b. theorei'
The cause Of the Allies is an ideal, but me
triumph Of this ideal can never be insured
by words; it can be compassed only by the
accurate knowledge Of military and eco
nomic realities.