New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-16
,ur,,nrR OF The ASSOCIATED PRESS.
There Must Be Military Decision


Recent events in Germany supply the
best possible refutation to the arguments
of those who would have the Allies aban-
don their determination to seek military
decision and endeavor by conciliatory pro-
posals to persuade the German people to
make peace Not TO do this was IN the
minds of many Of the most vociferous OF
our contemporary advisers fatal blunder'
destined TO unite the German people
AGAINST the Allies and in support of their
own militaristic rulers.
such a policy was exactly calculated TO
suit the situation Of those who direct Ger
man policy Each manifestation Of this
sort of tactics was instantly seized upon as
an evidence Of weakness on the part Of the
enemy and as a basis for assurances TO the
German people that little more persever-
snce would bring victory. Every time the
faint-hearts and the weakened talk this
sort of policy, autocracy in Germany, the
cid gang. takes fresh courage.
On the other hand, the redoubling OF the
military pressure, the unmistakable demon
stration that the Allies mean to fight until
the decision in the field is absolute-these
things bring home more and more clearly
10 the German people the fact that those
who rule them cannot win the war and
that peace cannot be attained while these
rulers remain in control.
Until the militarists are defeated, until
me army is defeated, Germany can no more
free herself from the Hohenzollern incubus
than could France escape the Napoleonic
burden. The Empire persisted at Water
loo. il perished when the legend Of Napo-
leonic invincibility vanished along the high
WAYS by which routed imperial army fed
lack N France. The situation is not diff
ferent in Germany. Defeats the German
army has sustained, but defeats less con-
siderable than Lepsic. Moreover, there
has been no invasion Of Germany like the
allied invasion Of France in 1914, and the
Napoleonic legend survived these.
We are getting on with this war. The
campaign that is closing has seen Germany
on the defensive and losing one strong po-
sition after another. Arras, Messinesi
Hill 70 and the Passchendaele Ridge, Dead
Mans Hill, the observation-disclosures, the
Moronvilhers Heights these represent
real and considerable defeats. But more
important is the daily revelation Of the
decline of German fighting strength as it
comes in the news from the Flanders
front. The German machine is wearing
out; it has not, perhaps, reached the point
which the German navy has attained, but
/, it is moving in that direction.
Another year of pressure, of slaughter
10y superior Allied artillery, taken together
with the complete establishment of the
German people in the matter of the sub
marine and the disintegration of the Ger
man army. will be fatal to the German
leaders. At the close Of the campaign Of
1918 the inferiority Of the German mill
tary machine will be as unmistakable at
home as it is coming TO be abroad.
German defeat in the field, the return Of
Alsace-L Lorraine TO France, the payment
of indemnities which will contribute to the
rebuilding Of the wasted districts of
France and Belgium, the restoration of
Poland as q European state-these are
the essential conditions of permanent
peace. But without the military decision
they will be but transitory, and there will
he a new German assault upon the world
at no distant date. AS long as the army
leaders can escape actual defeat they will
lie able 10 retain measure Of credit with
the German people.
Let us face the fact as It is. Another
wear of the present warfare, a million OF
a million and half more Of casualties on
each side (for next years fighting will be
terrifcally COSTLY, will probably separate
Us from the end Of the war. But this sac
rifce means the true and just solution OF
the present problem. German milltarism
will not be able, after defeat, after hav-
ing imposed terrible and sterile sacrifices
upon the German people. to raise its head
again. There will be written in language
that cannot be mistaken the fact that Ger
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