Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-12-21

There is nothing anomalous, after all, in the
German Socialists Directing to a separate peace
with Russia. Eager they for an ending OF
the war, they realize that the elimination of Rus
STA alone would to prolOng rather than fore
shorten the conflict: for it would strengthen
and embolden the Tmpeyiasts that such elements
of political liberalism have managed to take root
and grow in Germany would be ruthessly trampled
down
The war aims of the Hohenzollerns are more
audacious today than at any time since the battle
of the Marine and Verduh curbed their first wild
ambitions. The German occupation of the Rus
sian port of Riga on the Baltic and of the pro-
vince of Courland and adjacent lands has deter
mined the militarists to annex that territory,
which in the earlier stages of the war they had
not hoped to obtain, in addition to their previous
conquests. Furthermore, the success of the IN
trigue which has put Russia out of the fighting
and the consequent military advantages to the
Kaisers lines in France and Belgium have brought
him and his war lords fresh hope of retaining much
of the loot from their raid in the West. When
the Allies are smashing forward, the idea of Civ
ing up Belgium receives a measure of consdera-
ton from Berlin but let the fortune of war veer
even slightly in favor of the Huns and the tone
Of mock Cancellation rises again to bold defiance.
From the day they got Belgium fairly IN their
grasp, the German militarists set out with cold
booded calculation to reduce the countrys popula-
ton as far as practicable in order that the land
might be free for German settlement after the
war. The Belgian people, the Huns viewed it,
were an encumbrance to the SOIL wherefore let
the people be wiped out! Is it to be supposed that
a Government which entertains such theories and
practices such barbarty will give up its robber
conquests except at the point of the bayonet? is
it supposabe, indeed, that a Government so in
grained with crime will ever be amenabe to the
laws of truly civilized nations?
For the same reasons that German Socialists
look with disfavor a separate peace with Rus
STA, the people of the allied democracies will best
serve the of just and durable peace by re-
jecting any suggestion of settlement which would
leave Prussiansm in the saddle, still confident and
free to prepare another raid against mankind The
effect of the militarists recent successes in Rus
STA and in Italy and at points onsthe Western front
has been to make them drunk with ambition
and a new sense of power. The Imperialst Ger
man press is more boastful than it has been for
many a season, and more savagely intolerant OF
liberal thought within it's empire we'll as
more defiant of the ideas of free peoples in the
world at large. Whether not separate peace
with Russia or rather with the Bolsheviki in
the time being held, will be negotiated is yet I'M
certain But in any event, the Russian collapse
has given the mlitarists a renewed confidence, re-
newed power over the German people and tenn
porary advantage of which they will make the
utmost. The only wise course for the Allies, there
FORE is to deepen their resolve and quicken their
stride in the fight for peace-bringing and peace
keeping victory.