The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-05
WAR WILL END
 ONLY IN VICTORY
By HOLLAND

New York December 4.-(Special.)-1t was inevitable that the surmise should arise that the publication of communi- cation by Lord Lansdowne, in which he urges that statesmanship be exerted to bring the war to an end, was partly with ] a view to influence the inter-allied con | ference at Paris and partly with the statement in mind which President Will son was thought by Lord Lansdowne likely to make in his annual message 10 Congress on Monday.
 The men of large business capacity who have given up their vacations so that they may be able to serve the govern ment and, presumably Colonel House as well as members of the cablnet' nave never had any doubt about the Presi- dents purpose when he recommended that Congress declare war against Ger many.
 The President expects the war to be continued until peace is conquered py VIC ' tory That is the concise message that comes from Washington. The President has no further illusions respecting the good faith or honorable purposes or the high German military party. | He was deceived once too often and the President is of that manner of mind which having given confidence, does not withhold it unless he has reason 10 pe- lieve that his confidence has been be- trayed When that belief Is forced upon him, his confidence is utterly and forever gone. On the other hand he holds to his 1 friendships with a tenacity which IS not excelled by that which characterized Gen eral Grant, although revealed in a diner- ent way from the one adopted by Gen. ! eral Grant.
 Business leaders here say that the President is convinced that there can be | no assurance of permanent peace until l there has been a crushing military vic 1 tory over Germany by the allies. For ii there were no other reason for holding l that view, it is President Wilson's con | viction, according to those who have good I reason to know what his views are that 1 only by complete victory over German arms can the great body of the German people be brought to such full under standing of Germanys relation to the
 world that they will be ready to accept peace propositions which contain so far as human foresight can frame them, con ditions which will insure permanent peace.
 Word comes from Washington, that Il has frequently been said, probably not by the President, but by some of those l who are near to him. that this war re- 1 sembles in its chief issle the war between the states. Then it was really a contest between two civilizations. President Lin 1 coin desired to preserve the union, be- 1 cause he believed that if the union were | broken into several parts then inevitably the experiment of republican-democratic form of government would fail.
 THE GREAT ISSUE
 President Wilson has stated in his pub
 lie addresses and presumbaly in his pri vbate conversation that only one issue exists to be determined by this war. He has voiced it in various ways. The one l most commonly accepted is hs assertion that the war must make the world saft for democracy. A complete military vic tory over Germany, while it revealed tt
 the German people that their hitherto abiding faith in the military autocracy | was futile, nevertheless would not pre-
 vent the German people from maintainint
 an autocratic form of government if they so desired But it must be maintained tr sympathy with the guarantees for per | manent peace which would follow com
 plete military victory over Germany
 Sometimes it has been asked what art
 the aims of the allies. No one in author. ity in Washington and none of the mer of great business ability who are nov
 yielding all their time and energy to tn
 government has the slightest doubt abou
 the aim of President Wilson and th'
 American people That aim is to secur,
 a victory of arms which will as fully de
 termine the issue as Appommatox deter
 mined the issue for which the divided
 states fought between 1861 and 1S65
 FRANCE AND UNITED STATES
 Some are calling attention to the re
 markable speech made by Premier Gle
 menceau at the opening of the inter-allie' ip po rta rsv, n " n
 week. It seemed almost as though Gle
 menceau had been informed or had intui
 tive knowledge of the plea which Lore
 Lansdowne was on the same day to pu
 before the English people, in which h urged that craftsmanship be exerted t bring the war to an end.
 Had Clemenceau's speech been pre-