Iditarod pioneer., 1917-03-17
GERMANY'S OFFER OF PEACE
(The Outlook

(The Outlook
 Germany is now willing to take part in that general European conference which, on the part of Great Britain, Sir Edward Grey proposed in the last days of July, 1914 At that time Germany fouted the proposal preferring the appeal to arms After two gears of experiencing this appeal to arms she admits it (in the words of the chan cellor) to be "a catastrophe which lnJures the most precious achievements of humanity" and she now proposes to talk the matter over
 In estimating this offer of peace we must acquaint ourselves with the causes of the war, the obscure fountains from which it's Stupendous flood has burst forth" and the purposes of those who are resDonsible for the war. If the advocates of Germany are right--if England, France and Russia were leagued together to destroy Germany; if she saw them contrlving to hem her in. pre- venting her normal development, and plan ming to destroy her, as a traveller sees ban dlts lurking in ambush in the road before him, and she attacked them in lf-defense and has now succeeded in thwarting their murderous designs-then her peace pro- posGls may be regarded as magnanimous.
 But we do not so read history On the contrary, we believe that Germany inherited the ambitions of Frederick the Great and imported the ambitions of Napoleon the Great. Germany believed that the Teutons should dominate Europe and control the civilization of the world. Her overweening ambition poisoned her miseducated con- science. She was as conscientious as Philip II. of Spain and Louis XVI. of France Democracy was as abhorrent to her ruling nowers as Protestantism to the Duke of Ava. She prepared to crush democracy and watched for her opportunity. Her preparation was made with extraordinary efficiency Her navy, her military railways, her army register including every man ca pablo of bearing arms, her extraordinary equipment prepared and ready for every possible contingency, made clear her de signs to the few thoughtful men of Eurone, but were all disregarded by the thought less-that Is, the majority. She waited and watched for the opportune moment and the justifying occasion. The discontent in Ireland and India, the factional fights, reli- gious and political, in France, the rising re- volt of the repressed peasantry in Russia, made the time opportune. The assassination of the crown prince of Austria furnished the occasion. The offer to arbltrate the uues- tlon of Servia's responsibility for that crime, the urgent request of England, seconded not only by France and Russia but by Ger manys own ally, Italy, to attempt peace full settlement by an international confer aeho Sl,r fo fused. Her time had come, and she struck the blow for which she had been long pre- pairing.
 In the war which followed she was as ruthless as her military leaders could have desired She violated treaty rights, disre- garded international law, made war upon non-combatants, perpetrated murder on land and piracy on the high seas, by her meth ods drove Italy into the ranks of her enc mics and set the moral sentiment of prac- tically all neutral nations against her. She has failed. True, she has kept her enemies off her soil; true, she has won some dra- matic victories But she is nation be- sieged. Her colonies are gone. Her fleet is bottled up. Her hopes of conquest are de- stroyed Her people, wonderfully submis- sive to her authority, wonderfully loyal to their fatherland are perplexed They are still submissive; they are still loyal; but they do not understand or, to speak more accurately, they are beginning to under stand She cries Halt! and calls for peace.
 This is our reading of history. If we read it aright the object of her proposal Is clear. It is to unite her people, to justify herself to the mind and conscience of the neutral world to introduce dissenslon in the councils of her enemies. ..
 It has been claimed by some English newspaper writers that Germany should be punished for her crime against humanity. It is not the business of other nations to judge and punish a sovereign nation Judg- ment and punishment may be left to God. The example of the United States may be pointed to as one which has worked we'll and is worth following The North made no attempt to punish the South, or even the leaders of the Southern revolt. But it is the duty of the nations to take such meas ures as will forever make it impossible at least improbable the spirit of Fred erick the Great or Napoleon will ever inflict anothef such tragedy on Europe as the war of 1914. Justice and mercy unite in de- manding that the war, terrible as it is, go on until that protection for future genera tions is assured. Peace without that assur- ance would be more terrible than war.