Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1917-06-08

SlaCIe TO a general p~aclncatlOnS IN the
Balkans and on the eastern frontiers of
II Granted that Austria and Russia
are ready to make peace on the basis of
no ~anneXationS and no indemnities;
granted that each is ready to meet the
Polish situation in the sense of tho
other. that is. of mutual surrender of
territory. then the way to an end is
easy.
A great deal has been said lately
about the" disappearance of Russia
from the war, very little about the
withdrawal of Austria. This is. in the
main, there il q profound con-
viction that Austria has lost her free
dom of decision and is now IA German
vassal. But much of, this Subordina-
ton to Germany is Enthusiastically due
to the fact that the allied calls
for the destruction of Austria. and thus
there is left to Austria no course save
that based upon German assistance. As
long as German aid is necessary to save
Austria from destruction there is small
chance that Austria will change sides
or make peace.
But if Russia, and Russia is the real
peril. offers peace on the terms Russian
.evolutionists propose. terms 1 have in
dlcated, will Austria still care to &C on
with the struggle, which Is daily de-
troylng all hope of an early rehabilita-
ton OF the dual monarchy and steadily
carrying it nearer to economic ruin
and political anarchy? The Hungar-
ians are certain, to fight as long as it
is Il case of losing Pennsylvania, if they
quit, and as long as peace means bring
ing the Slav neighbor to the Carpath-
ians. But assured of the integrity, Of
their kingdom and of the creation
OF a buffer Polish state between them
and the Russians. will they not insist
upon peace before their country is to-
tally ruined?
IL seems to me that the Russia revo-
luton has opened some very interest
ing speculations that are not all sign
posts to German success. Probably the
allied purpose to destroy Austria Hun
gary, to liberate the oppressed nation
alities and to erect q number of small
free states has been destroyed by the
Russian revolution n by the adop-
tion by the Russian revolutionists of
the program of no a%nnexations. But
to what extent was this a wise or sound
purpose? Hungary and Bohemia with
out s~eacoasts. German Austria left a
fragment with frontiers joining Ger
many-would these be foundations on
which to build q permanent peace?
On the contrary. IL Russian revolu-
tionists, by ~renouncing Russian ambi-
tons. make separate peace possible for
Austria Hungary and by renOuncing
Balka ambitions leave the Turk with
no reason to continue in the war. will
they not have dealt q fatal blow to that
M~itteleuropa scheme OF the Germans.
and is 1t not likely that Austria her.
self will find a way Of escape from Ger
man chains? Once assured of the end
of the threat to her own existence. will
Austria Hungary care to continue the
war to aid the Germans to realize am
hitiOns which menace the future inde-
pendence OF Austria and bring no
rYnSo - Ser,~ - DlfnA~ nv, AVA 1SnCfA
profit?
We see that Russia is now become
the weak link in the allied chain; but
ought we not quite as clearly to per-
ceive that Austria remains. as she has
always been. a weak link in h central
alliance. while Turkey. assured OF her
existence. of the safety Of her capital,
by Russia's renunciation. resumes her
freedom to bargain? Like Austria, she
is no longer bound to the central alli-
nee by considerations Of life and
death; like Austria, h is now bound
only by the prospect of eventual profit,
and where is this to be found?
In sum-. a policy of no annexation Is
now quite a satisfactory to the Aus
dent Poland may soon come to have for
Austria the same character that it has
for Russia. erecting a buffer state be-
tween Russia and, Austria, disposing
thus of 5000. 900 Slavs and thus re-
storing the ascendancy Of the Magyar
and the German in the dual monarchy.
This might easily seem a safe solu-
ton of the.war problems, and on such
a basis Austria and Russia might cas-
lily make peace and their peace might
easily bring about an end of the war in
the Balkans and thus remove from the
battle line Serbia. Rumania. Bulearia.
Turkey and Greece.
In all this 1 have not so far reckoned
with German influence and German
policy. Let us recognize at once that