New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-02
THE ROAD TO BERLIN
With France on the Rhine and Russia in
Constantinople Peace May Come

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: II has been cause of the greatest
regret to very large number OF your
render, that you should have recently taken
the same position toward Germany that the
ICopperheads assumed in the war between the
states. Fortunately for humanity Abraham
Lincoln believed as Lloyd George does, that
nothing is impossible when a great prin-
ciple is involved, and it is by no means
proved as yet that the German army Is
invincible Take the single item OF ammu-
milton and we can easily believe that unless
Germany can find some fresh supplies OF
copper within very few months her
armies will face certain defeat in the West
The road to Berlin is very easy one TOR
tho Allies as soon As all their armies have
reached the same perfection with their ar
t,Ilerv as the French now possess and have
the like abundant stores or ammunition.
The German trenches become mere holes IN
the ground in which TO bury their dead as
soon as their heavy guns become useless
for lack OF ammunition, and without copper
in abundance these guns are as useless as
if they were made Of wood. The over
running OF a small state like Rumania
means nothing at all unless 1t brought large
conner mines within reach, which is far
from being the case. In the meantime cop
per Is going forward TO the Allies by the
thousands OF tons. and will continue TO do
so unless the German fleets become power
fuI enough 20 obtain the mastery Of the sea.
This war will no doubt last two years more,
or until Germany finds herself without sum-
zion. armaments for herself and the un-
speakable Turks. Then, with the French
on the Rhine and the Russians in Constan-
tinople, the lesser nations OF Europe can be
grouped in such fashion that their legiti-
mate desires can all be gratified and the diff
ferent peoples can live under the flags
which naturally claim their allegiance. Such
q settlement is well worth fighting for indefi-
nitelv. because without such a settlement
Their. would only be another armed truce
ike that from 1872 to 1914, period which
Is now looked back upon as one long night
mare.
II there were only statesman like Roose-
welt in the White House instead OF peda-
gogue. this war could be ended within three
months By the United States insisting that
conference should be held at the Hague
with the basic terms all settled in advance
The working out Of the details would re-
auire all the best skill Of European diplo-
macy but it would be sn entirely feasible
undertaking and the results would be as
nearly satisfactory as can be expected from
any human device. The Turk at CONSTANT
nople has kept all Europe in turmoil for
five hundred years, and 1t is time that
period Of peace Of the same length began.
The responsibility for the war in Europe
now rests on the same shoulders that are
supporting the anarchy in Mexico but the
voters Of the United States recently declared
that they desired to have the war in Europe
continue because II caused flush times in
America, and as TO the poems Of Mexico.
VINO cared whether they starved or went
hungry and naked They we're accustomed
to one o. these alternatives R.S.H.
Arlington, Fla, Dec. 90, 1915.