New-York tribune., 1917-07-14
Russia and the y. S.
Freedom from German Barbarity Is
the Main Goal

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: have read with much interest the
leading editorial which graced your edition
Of July 10 and which was entitled Russia
and the United States" You have behind
YOU the great mass Of thinking people In
this country in your panygeric of the spirit
manifested by democratic Russia. But many
Of us would have read the article with ad-
ditional interest If its title and its contents
had included the other two great democra-
cies that are lighting Prussian autocracy
side by side with Russia and the United
etates-to wit, England and France.
Surely. the writer Of your editorial viii
not contend that the two democracies that
up till now have poured out their hearts
blood in fighting for those very principles
for which our own country and our youngest
brother, Russia, are contending, and who
have kept the front free for our very be-
lated arrival there are simply "out after
annexatons and after new lands 10 be added
10 those that they already possess. The ex-
ccllent words used in your editorial: We
want rot merely the defeat Of to-day, but,
so far as is possible. the elimination for to-
morrow OF the possibility Of other German
attacks" explains exactly the position taken
BIZ the two great democracies omitted IN
your editorial-or, rather pointed at with
the finger of suspicion and of fear that we
might become blind followers of Allied de-
cisons without regard to their nature
The defeat Of Germany is not so easy, nor
is it so near rs all of US desire it to be.
I venture to think that ii Germany were 70
propose peace tomorrow. with the restitu-
ton Of Northwest France and Belgium (and
I -. - hon"
the bait. she would be the real victor; for
she would be in the positon-in a much
better position than she was in 1914
bring on the new war which she already has
ir mind for the purpose of finally downing
England and France and assuring TO herself
for few moments the domination of the
whole world. Whatsoever propositions Eng
land and France may have made as the price
Germany is TO pay for having brought Arma-
geddon from, the Bible on 20 this planet
have been made not with the idea of punish
jrg Germany-though, God knows, their
ethical right TO Do so would be vindicated
ten thousand times-but with this very idea
in view which your editorial has expressed.
"to eliminate for tomorrow the possibility
Of other German attacks To leave Ger
many with Austria Hungary under her foot
and the Ottoman Empire in her pocket Is to
leave a fully self-containing colossus under
Prussian reactionary rule, which rule Will
not have abated one jot or little of its pre-
tensions-whatever change may have been
given TO its outward form and appearance
and whatsoever scraps of paper 1t may have
signed IL is for this very reason that the
FDrlish are in Mesopotamia and Southern
Palestine and the French on their way 70
SYRIA Il is for the same reason that those
two of our allies are in the Balkans They
have not made war" at all They are simply
protecting the Western world from Prussian
rule and contributing to acquiring that
."nain thing" for which we are now happily
ioined with Russia 70 get 10 wit: Freedom
from the fangs Of German intolerance and
barbarity. RICHARD GOl HE'LL
Woods Hole, Mass June H. 1917.